(Source: MIRS.news, Published 01/08/2023) Newly-declared Michigan Republican Party Chair Malinda Pego has stated that the special State Committee meeting for Jan. 13 that allegedly deposed Chair Kristina Karamo set has been canceled.
Karamo has stated otherwise since her removal vote Saturday and issued a report Monday evening that explains why the vote on her removal was “null and void.”
In an email from Pego to State Committee members, Pego stated that the motion to cancel the Jan. 13 meeting passed, and that she has appointed temporary chairs of the Standing Committee and reassigned their members.
Andy Sebolt, Second District State Committee member, has been assigned as the Policy Committee chair; Tim Ross, Second District State Committee member, has been assigned Budget chair; and Angela Hall, First District State Committee member, has been assigned Issues chair.
There are other standing committees that Pego said will be appointed as soon as possible. Each State Committee member will serve on at least one committee.
“A notice for a special meeting for the election of a new chair will be forthcoming,” the email said. “Thank you for your understanding. I regret any inconvenience these cancelations cause to your personal schedules.”
At the end of the email, Pego mentioned communications that State Committee members may be receiving from the “recently removed administration” requesting members to resign, threatening their removal or legal retribution. Pego said the messages are “unauthorized and should be ignored.”
Karamo did not respond to a request for comment Monday, but stated publicly over the weekend that her Jan. 13 meeting in Houghton Lake will still be taking place and that she does expect to establish a quorum to vote on her “Better Political Representation” motion that would use caucuses to nominate candidates instead of a primary election.
A report from a Michigan Republican Party subcommittee issued this evening concluded everything from the calling of the meeting to the use of the proxy members was done outside the rules and were unauthorized “regardless of participants' or media pronouncements.”
The report also states that "this is an intra-party matter and Court actions are not the remedy to the resolution of this action. It will be determined by the State Committee at the Jan. 13 special State Committee meeting.
Former Rep. Daire Rendon, who is facing criminal charges for unlawful possession of voting equipment, was among those on the subcommittee.
Robert Owens, director of communications for something called Michigan Republican Policy, wrote Monday in an email that Karamo is “undeterred by the futile attempt of usurpers, and she is focusing on the 2024 election. Kristina is laser focused on catching the liberal left ‘red handed in the cookie jar’ in November.”
Owens was also subject to a removal vote that passed at Saturday’s meeting.
