GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Attorneys representing two portions of the Michigan Republican Party were back in court Thursday morning, providing testimony in regards to a motion for what is called a preliminary injunction.
8th District Chair for the party Anne Delisle continued speaking from the stand first thing Thursday.
“What I’m upset about is that Ms. Karamo’s behavior has caused tremendous confusion and injury to the Michigan Republican State Party in general, and candidates who are running for office at this time in the party,” she said in response to a question from a lawyer representing Kristina Karamo.
Karamo was elected chair of the state Republican party in February 2023 after a previous unsuccessful run for secretary of state.
On January 6, 2024, a number of party members convened a meeting where they voted to remove Karamo.
Former Ambassador to the Netherlands Pete Hoekstra was elected to take her place.
Karamo maintains that she is still party chair, as those voting for her ouster did so without properly following party bylaws.
A lawsuit was filed on January 19 by a number of people within the state party, asking the courts to state that she was in fact removed properly.
They are seeking to get Karamo to return access to party bank accounts, social media accounts, and email accounts as well.
Attorneys for Karamo did not present any witnesses for direct testimony related to the request for a preliminary injunction.
After attorney for Hoekstra finished presenting their evidence, one of Karamo’s attorneys asked for the motion to be dismissed outright.
“Have they made enough to carry their burden,” the attorney said.
“They have not.”
While Judge Joseph Rossi quickly moved past the request, a final decision is still forthcoming.
Attorneys for the portion of the MIGOP supporting Hoekstra’s position as chair argued that leaving her position ambiguous in the eyes of a court is actively damaging the party.
“Kristina Karamo has not accepted the fact that she is no longer the Chair of the Michigan Republican Party as has been acknowledged by the RNC, former president Donald J. Trump, and as acknowledged by those who attended the January 6 meeting,” Delisle testified Thursday.
“She is the one causing division and confusion in our party.”
Testimony for this motion was particularly brief, with parties only given about eight hours over two days to provide testimony.
Judge Rossi told attorneys for Karamo on Thursday that he could possibly give them some more time to provide evidence or call witnesses, giving them the possibility of taking a few hours on Tuesday, February 27.
Attorneys have until 9 a.m. Friday to decide whether or not they want the extra time.
Judge Rossi is expected to give a decision at some point early next week.
Karamo’s attorneys argue that the current situation is not causing true harm to the party.
“We know know there is a March 2 meeting in Grand Rapids, and we’ve known for some time there is a March 2 meeting in Detroit,” her attorney argued Thursday. “There is no injury. People can go to the meeting they choose.”
