Two violent incidents happen just months apart between Republican Party members

Tensions have been high these past few months, as two separate incidents have occurred between members of the Republican Party based out of Michigan.

The first incident, which turned into an altercation, happened in April of this year during a party leader meeting on the patio bar of the Doherty Hotel; Kelly Sachett, Kalamazoo Republican Party chair and Melissa Pehlis, secretary of Macomb County GOP, started arguing and exchanging words. Sachett smacked an item out of Pehlis’s hand, resulting in Pehlis hitting Sachett in the head.

This altercation had originated from a proxy battle between new state GOP chair Kristina Karamo and former ally Matthew DePerro. More specifically, Sachett and Pehlis argued over claims that Sachett was purging Karamo loyalists from the Kalamazoo GOP by sending letters to elected precinct delegates the week before stating they had been removed from local posts.

“There’s big internal disputes within the party right now, and Karamo has done nothing to bring the party together,” DePerno said.

The second incident happened on July 8th at a meeting at the Doherty Hotel. This meeting was only open to the state committee to discuss the future and leadership of the party based in Clare, Michigan, which is now under chairwoman Kristina Karamo.

Republican James Chapman travelled from Wayne County to Clare to participate in the meeting but became frustrated when the door appeared locked. He tried to enter by twisting and jiggling the doorknob when Mark DeYoung, chairman of Clare County, opened the door, and Chapman allegedly attacked him and kicked him in the groin. DeYoung fell to the ground, breaking a rib in the process. James Chapman said, “When you see me removing my glasses, I’m ready to rock.”

James Chapman was known to be politically active while previously involved in other violent incidents. However, it’s unknown if this is the same person involved in the recent July 8th incident. These incidents of violence just months apart are shocking and reveal the challenges the Republican Party faces behind closed doors and how divided the party has become.