Michigan GOP 'functionally bankrupt' as fundraising drops and 'chaos' breaks out

Michigan's Republican Party has less than six figures in its coffers 16 months ahead of the November 2024 presidential election.

The Detroit News obtained a recording of a closed-door meeting of the state GOP committee on July 8 that one participant described as a "Festivus-style airing of grievances" that included a physical altercation as party officials revealed their bank accounts had only $93,000.

“What I will confirm right now is that we have $93,231.90 in our accounts," said Dan Bonamie, the state committee's budget chairman. "We have not taken loans out. We are working on the debt.”

Former state GOP officials described the financial picture as troubling and unusual based on past fundraising totals and expenses to fund the party's operations.

“That could sound like a lot to the casual observer, but that means they’re functionally bankrupt," said former state GOP executive director Jeff Timmer, who said $93,000 would not have covered rent, payroll and utilities for even a month when he was there from 2005 to 2009.

Tom Leonard, a former Michigan House speaker who was the state GOP's budget chair in 2009 and 2010, said a successful state party needed to raise about $30 million and $40 million each election cycle and have between $4 million and $6 million cash on hand to pay for staffers, voter outreach and other operations.

"At this point, any Republican that's going to be on the ballot in 2024 better be looking for resources and organization outside of the Michigan Republican Party," Leonard said.

Party chairwoman Kristina Karamo called the "in-house" meeting because she "saw the chaos that was brewing amongst the party," according to the recording, but party members feuded amongst themselves and couldn't even agree who was running the meeting.

"Who’s running the meeting?" said Macomb County Republican Party chairman Mark Forton.

“It’s not you, Forton. Sit down," responded a second person.

A physical assault broke out at one point when GOP activist James Chapman, of Wayne County, allegedly kicked Clare County GOP chairman Mark DeYoung in the groin when he wasn't allowed into the closed meeting.

"Somebody was just assaulted," Karamo said on the recording. "That is unbelievable."

GOP members then prayed after the attack, which Karamo later blamed on outside agitators.

"We are literally being incited to fight each other," Karamo said.