Michigan GOP members feel the party is at a crossroads
(CBS DETROIT) - Over the weekend, a meeting that was meant to be held in person was split with some members meeting virtually and others in person.
Michigan GOP Party Chairwoman Kristina Karamo, who led the virtual meeting, did not gain enough attendees to constitute a quorum to conduct business. The meeting shows the growing divide in the state's Republican Party as bylaws and standard operating procedures are changed in what Karamo called in an email "restructuring."
One party member who was removed from his committee assignments tells CBS News Detroit he's concerned about where the state party is headed.
"So my biggest fear is who has more power? The king or the kingmaker?" said Andrew Sebolt who used to chair the policy committee within the party. "These people now get to be the kingmakers. So, who would actually be in control of political power? Who controls Lansing? Well, the candidates or the political or the elected officials then wouldn't owe any accountability to me, the voter, especially for those that are in hard Republican areas where the Republicans will always win. They would all all of their allegiance solely to Kristina Karamo and Jim Copas and Dan Hartman."
Sebolt estimates about 26 members of the party are currently without committee assignments. Outside of the interpersonal conflict is the problem of funding. Sebolt tells CBS News Detroit he feels Karamo isn't being transparent.
"How much money do we have in the bank account right now? We thought, well, can you just log into the bank account on the computer in 30 seconds [and] let some of us come up and see it? 'No.' Can't even do that," he said. "Honestly, no one can actually speak with any authority on what our current finances are, because all we can take are some statements that are printed off of a computer by these guys, and they immediately make no sense."
The Michigan GOP did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.