RNC says it appears Michigan's GOP leader was 'properly removed'

Lawyers for the Republican National Committee say it appears Kristina Karamo was “properly removed” as chair of the Michigan Republican Party earlier this month, but Ms. Karamo and her newly elected replacement both claim they are in charge.

The power struggle between Ms Karamo, who has led the state party for almost a year, and Pete Hoekstra, a former MP who is party leader elected on Saturday to replace Ms Karamois creating chaos for Republicans in a swing state that played a crucial role in 2016 and 2020, and will be a key state in deciding this year's elections.

In a two-page letter obtained by The New York Times, two of the RNC's top lawyers told Ms. Karamo and Mr. Hoekstra on Wednesday that Ms. Karamo's removal by state committee members on Jan. 6 appeared to follow the bylaws of the state party, but noted that their assessment of the case was “initial.” Their findings contradicted Ms Karamo's claims that the vote had been illegal.

The RNC has not recognized Mr. Hoekstra, who was ambassador to the Netherlands under President Donald J. Trump, as the new chairman. If either or both of them appear at the upcoming RNC winter meetings in Las Vegas, it said, they will not be recognized as committee members, but can attend as guests. The letter said the RNC had limited power to settle disputes over state party leadership, but did have the authority to determine who can be a voting party member. It said members of the RNC would further review the dispute and make recommendations after the group's meeting.

“We are moving forward,” Mr. Hoekstra said in an interview Thursday, indicating he planned to attend the meeting.

And what if Ms. Karamo, whose opponents are in the state party leadership? charges have been removedalso shows up?

“We will both be in an environment where the RNC has clearly indicated that they no longer see her as chairman,” he said, adding that in recent days he and his team had lost access to the email system and financial party books. .

Ms. Karamo did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday, but the Michigan GOP's general counsel dismissed the significance of the national party's legal findings in a statement.

“To be clear, attorneys who sign a letter do not indicate anything other than their opinion,” the statement said. “So even though the letter is authentic, I don't care because their opinion is not relevant to any resolution.”

Critics of Ms. Karamo, who ran unsuccessfully for Michigan secretary of state in 2022 and has promoted conspiracy theories about election fraud, have accused her of creating a veil of secrecy as party chairman, struggling to raise money and wanting to centralize power.

Mr Hoekstra said a majority of state commission members had rightly intervened, recognizing what he described as an “unacceptable” situation amid heightened political stakes.

“We can win this state for Donald Trump,” he said. “We've done it before.”