Judge Rules Pete Hoekstra Officially Replaces Kristina Karamo as Michigan GOP Chair

Any actions Karamo has taken since she was ousted on Jan. 6 this year have been declared void.

Kristina Karamo speaks at a rally hosted by former President Donald Trump near Washington, Mich., on April 2, 2022. Scott Olson/Getty Images

A Michigan judge issued a preliminary injunction on Tuesday, finding that Kristina Karamo was properly ousted as chair of the state Republican Party following a dispute.

Ms. Karamo had refused to accept former ambassador and congressman Pete Hoekstra as her replacement.

However, Kent County 17th Circuit Court Judge J. Joseph Rossi found that Ms. Karamo was removed as chair on Jan. 6 and that Malinda Pego replaced her as acting chair.

“Any actions of Ms. Kamaro since January 6, 2024 purporting to be taken on behalf of the Michigan Republican State Committee are void and have no effect,” Judge Rossi wrote in his order.

Some members of the Michigan Republican State Committee voted on Jan. 6 to remove Ms. Karamo at a meeting. Investigative journalist Lara Loomer revealed the move, sharing a statement bearing the Michigan GOP letterhead announcing the outcome of the vote on X (formerly Twitter).

However, the Michigan GOP quickly denounced the move in a post on X as “patently false,” insisting that Ms. Karamo “easily defeated” challenger Matthew DePerno, the former state attorney general.

Ms. Karamo, who was present in the courtroom for the ruling, called it “egregious” but said she would comply with the decision, USA Today reported.

“I have to comply with the judge’s order. I’m not going to jail,” she said.

Prior to the ruling, Ms. Karamo took to her personal account on X, saying the case was “not complex” and that either she had been appropriately removed “or not.”

The Epoch Times contacted representatives for Ms. Karamo for further comment.