(Source: MIRS.news, Published 04/21/2023) The Clare County prosecutor has asked local police for additional information before she decides whether to issue charges in a physical spat between two Republican leaders last week.
Prosecutor Michelle J. Ambrozaitis told MIRS Friday that she reviewed a police report and two cell phone videos of the April 14 alleged assault between Kalamazoo Republican Chair Kelly Sackett and Macomb County GOP Secretary Melissa Pehlis, which occurred at the Doherty Hotel on the eve of a Michigan Republican Party leadership meeting.
“I do not have a timeline on when a decision will be made,” the prosecutor said, without elaborating on potential charges.
A recording of the incident, first reported by Bridge Michigan, shows Sackett and Pehlis exchanging words before Sackett appears to knock a cigarette and phone from Pehlis’ hand.
Pehlis responded by thrusting an open hand at Sackett’s head.
In the video, Pehlis asks Sackett how many letters she sent, and answers her own question, with “22.”
Pehlis then comments, “By the power vested in me,” a reference to Sackett’s letter, which reads: “With the authority in my capacity as County Party Chair for the Kalamazoo County Republican Committee (KGOP), you are hereby notified that you have been removed as a Kalamazoo County Republican Delegate.”
Sackett tells Pehlis to “get the fuck out of here” after she is pulled away by another attendee, but Pehlis is not deterred as she continues to repeat, “By the power vested in me.”
Sacket laughs as Pehlis says, “You’re all going to jail; you’re all going down,” and then she tells Pehlis “to get the fuck out of here.”
Pehlis is not deterred as she walks closer to Sackett continuing to repeat the “vested in me” comment as Sackett tells her to “get your cigarette out of here,” before she swats the cigarette and phone out of Pehlis’ hand.
A male voice then tells Pehlis, “Now we got a problem” and tells her to move along.
The delegate purge follows the removal of three GOP Chair Kristina Karamo loyalists from the Kalamazoo GOP executive committee – two of whom sued Sackett and the county party in late March.
That suit, filed in circuit court on behalf of Sabrina Pritchett-Evans and Kimberly Harris against the Kalamazoo GOP, executive committee and Sackett, alleges violations of the Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act, libel/slander and breach of fiduciary duty, among other claims.
According to a Kalamazoo GOP resolution, Pritchett-Evans and Harris were censured in February for “falsely” stating the executive committee “took an illegal vote” to fill positions.
