Source: Politics<\/p>\n
DETROIT (AP) \u2014 The ousted former leader of the Michigan Republican Party lost a key court ruling Thursday in her effort to regain the top post.<\/p>\n
The Michigan Court of Appeals said it won\u2019t suspend a lower court\u2019s order affirming Kristina Karamo\u2019s removal<\/a> by party members.<\/p>\n Karamo was hoping that a stay would clear the way for her to lead a meeting Saturday in Detroit to select presidential delegates for the party\u2019s national convention.<\/p>\n Former U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, with backing from the national party<\/a> and former President Donald Trump, is recognized as the new chair of the state Republican Party. He is scheduled to lead a similar meeting across the state in Grand Rapids.<\/p>\n Karamo has refused to concede that party members properly voted her out of office. But a Kent County judge on Tuesday said the Jan. 6 vote was valid and any actions by her since that date were \u201cvoid and have no effect.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe order has injected more chaos into the political process,\u201d Karamo\u2019s lawyers told the appeals court. \u201cThe order will require a complete change of party administration, as well as cancellation or attempted cancellations of leases, contracts and other legal obligations, leaving the (party) in further disarray.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoekstra, however, said he is seen as the \u201cduly elected chair of the Michigan party.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s time to put this behind us and move forward with the business of electing Republicans in November,\u201d he said Thursday.<\/p>\n Trump easily won Michigan\u2019s Republican primary<\/a> this week over Nikki Haley.<\/p>\n Karamo was voted out of leadership after months of internal fighting over finances and strategy. She was a Trump supporter and unsuccessful Republican candidate for secretary of state when she won the top party post in 2023.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThis is an intraparty dispute that should be resolved through the political process \u2014 not court intervention,\u201d Karamo\u2019s lawyers said.<\/p>\n