Judge affirms removal of Karamo as Michigan GOP chair

A judge on Tuesday affirmed the removal of Kristina Karamo as chair of the Michigan GOP, weighing in on a contentious leadership dispute within the state party.

Kent County Circuit Judge J. Joseph Rossi issued a preliminary injunction to bar Karamo from conducting business as the party chair, according to a court document shared by NBC News. 

The court found that Karamo was removed from the chair position back in January and that any actions since “purporting to be taken on behalf of the Michigan Republican State Committee are void and have no effect.” 

The order hands a win to former Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.), who was recognized as chair earlier this month by the Republican National Committee (RNC), just hours before polls close in the Great Lakes State’s Tuesday presidential primary. 

After a tenure as chair rife with debt and discord, Karamo was voted out of her chair position weeks ago. Yet, despite public support from both the RNC and former President Trump for Hoekstra, she had dug in to insist that she still controlled the state party. 

The power struggle led to further confusion in the state’s already complicated nominating process. The results of Tuesday’s presidential preference primary will be used to allocate some of the delegates on the GOP side — while the rest of the delegates are set to be allocated based on the results of a state GOP convention this weekend.

But while Hoekstra planned a convention in Grand Rapids, Karamo had planned a dueling convention across the state in Detroit. 

The new order prohibits Karamo, among other things, from “calling any meeting of the Michigan Republican State Committee” or “conducting, or attempting to conduct, any business in the name of the Michigan Republican State Committee or the Michigan Republican Party,” according to the document.