Karamo official pushes back on her removal in letter to Republican National Committee

Paul Egan and Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press
·3 min read
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Kristina Karamo, left, and Peter Hoekstra.
Kristina Karamo, left, and Peter Hoekstra.

LANSING — A Michigan Republican backer of Kristina Karamo sent a strongly worded letter to the Republican National Committee Friday, pushing back on the RNC's preliminary view that Karamo had been "properly removed" as state party chair.

"Kristina Karamo is the MIGOP chair despite all the drama," wrote Jim Copas, the Michigan Republican Party executive director under Karamos.

Michigan Republican Party activists, unhappy with lackluster fundraising and other issues, convened a meeting of state committee members Jan. 6 and voted to remove Karamo. But Karamo and her administration said the meeting was not convened in accordance with party bylaws and held a separate meeting of state committee members Jan. 13 at which Karamo's leadership was strongly endorsed.

Then, dissidents convened in Lansing Jan. 20 and elected former congressman and ambassador Pete Hoekstra to replace Karamo as chair. Since then, both Karamo and Hoekstra claim they are the rightful chair but Karamo still controls the original party website and its bank accounts.

The RNC sent a letter Wednesday addressed to both Karamo and Hoekstra saying it would seat neither of them as a representative of the Michigan Republican Party at the RNC winter meeting in Las Vegas, which begins Tuesday and runs through Feb. 3.

RNC attorneys said in the letter it appeared Karamo was properly removed but the issue was still alive and would be tackled by a group of RNC representatives shortly after the close of the winter meeting.

In a letter to the RNC Friday, which was provided to the Free Press, Copas argued the Jan. 6 meeting had not been convened in accordance with party bylaws, lacked a lawful quorum necessary to remove Karamo from office, and made improper use of proxy voting.

More: Pete Hoekstra, elected to replace Kristina Karamo in Michigan Republican Party fight

"However, step out of the world of legal theater and into the world of the reasonable man," Copas wrote. "Just ask yourself, should 35 to 40 so-called Republicans be permitted to overturn the decision of thousands of elected delegates at the February state convention just because they may have friends in high places?"

Even if RNC officials find that the meeting was lawful, its decision was reversed at a lawfully called meeting one week later, Copas argued.

"Your letter is not neutral and has caused damage by way of the innocent viewer as likely intended," Copas said in the letter. He said he "can only conclude that the RNC intends to ignore the truth and the evidence and support Pete in his fake campaign," or is "mapping out an escape plan" in case the decision generates blowback.

Hoekstra said Wednesday he's encouraged by the letter from the RNC. He said he believes the state bylaws clearly provide for all actions taken to remove Karamo.

Karamo opponents have also sued to remove her in Kent County Circuit Court. An evidentiary hearing in that case is set for Tuesday morning.

As of noon Friday, Karamo was still listed on the RNC website as a member of the committee from Michigan.

Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com. Follow him on X, @paulegan4.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Kristina Karamo official pushes back on her removal in letter to RNC