LANSING, Mich. (MIRS News) – Michigan Republican Party (MRP) Chair Kristina Karamo told party faithful Monday that the party would not be making use of the Secchia-Weiser Michigan Republican Center, saying “It does not represent the best use of fundraising dollars.”
The headquarters on Seymour Street in Lansing is owned by a trust, not the MRP, with its board of trustees including past MRP chairs, attorneys and others. The MRP leadership would need to pay about $12,000 a month to use the building on top of whatever repairs would be needed to be made to the structure.
The building cannot be liquidated to pay off debts, so Karamo said the party structure will decentralize, something she noted last week.
“There are better ways to utilize your contributions to facilitate GOP 2024 election wins,” she said. “Many businesses and nonprofits are moving toward a working model whereby volunteers and employees work remotely while having access to satellite locations.”
Instead, the party is looking at creating offices in three separate parts of the state as a way to make the party more accessible and to recruit statewide talent. “The cost for those buildings will likely be equal to or less than the large building in Lansing,” Karamo said.
She noted the party’s mailing address is a box in a UPS store near Grand Rapids, since it’s close to where the MRP secretary lives.
As for the Secchia-Weiser Headquarters, it’s possible the space could be used by whatever political action committee or “shadow” group is set up by the traditional MI-GOP donor class, the House Republican Campaign Committee and/or the Senate Republican Committee. A U.S. Senate nominee could, theoretically, put their statewide headquarters in the building. Other candidates could also rent an office within the building, in theory.
In related news, Karamo said it’s been 21 days since she and co-chair Malinda Pego took over as the new leadership team and there are several pieces of paperwork that she says have yet to be delivered, most of which are tax and legal documents.
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Also, an event planner has been hired to take care of the Biennial Mackinac Leadership Conference in September. The party is also planning large fundraisers and a small business fundraising system and a small dollar program is also in the works.
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