A scuffle broke out just before a Michigan Republican Party leadership meeting between Kalamazoo Republican Party Chair Kelly Sackett and Macomb County GOP Secretary Melissa Pehlis, Bridge Michigan reported.
Video shows the two exchanging words before Sackett slaps a cigarette and phone from the hand of Pehlis, who responded by thrusting an open hand into Sackett’s face. According to Bridge Michigan, the confrontation stems from an “escalating proxy battle” between new state GOP Chair Kristina Karamo and former ally Matthew DePerno.
“Karamo and DePerno are both prominent 2020 election deniers who shared the ballot in 2022 as the Michigan GOP nominees for secretary of state and attorney general, respectively. Both were endorsed by former President Donald Trump but lost to Democrats in November,” Bridge Michigan’s report stated. “Trump endorsed DePerno for state party chair, but Karamo prevailed at a February convention, where she appealed to grassroots delegates who now control the Michigan GOP by touting her refusal to concede the 2022 election despite a 615,349-vote loss to Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.”
In February, DePerno refused to concede what he called a “fraudulent convention” vote. He later alleged Karamo had campaign staff “in the pits counting ballots,” saying that there’s “no way to ensure the actual vote count.”
The women, who represent the two competing factions, appeared to be arguing over an alleged move by Sackett to boot Karamo loyalists from the Kalamazoo GOP.
Watch the video below:
