LANSING — An alleged assault on the eve of a Michigan Republican Party leadership meeting stemmed from an escalating proxy battle between new state GOP Chair Kristina Karamo and former ally Matthew DePerno, party insiders say.

Authorities say local police were called to a patio bar at the Doherty Hotel in Clare on Friday night, where members of the Michigan GOP’s new state central committee gathered for their first formal meeting the following day.

A video recording obtained by Bridge Michigan shows a confrontation between Kalamazoo Republican Party Chair Kelly Sackett and Macomb County GOP Secretary Melissa Pehlis. After they exchanged words, Sackett appeared to knock a cigarette and phone from the hand of Pehlis, who responded by thrusting an open hand at Sackett's head.



Sackett told Bridge she filed a police complaint over the incident but declined further comment. Bridge was unable to reach Pehlis, and the Macomb County Republican Party did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.

https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/michigan-gop-infighting-leads-actual-fight-between-karamo-deperno-backers