LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — What started as a petition business on the side has now pushed two longtime GOP staffers out of their Capitol jobs.

The Democratic-led Michigan Senate forced out Jeff Wiggins and Meghan Reckling after flagging their ties to Victory Field Operations, the petition-gathering firm they co-founded.

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Reckling, chief of staff to Sen. Lana Theis, said she was given the choice last week: resign or cut all ties to her consulting companies. She resigned instead. Wiggins, formerly press secretary for Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, has since taken a new job with the House GOP.

The Senate Business Office, overseen by Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, declined to explain the decision, citing personnel policy. That silence only intensified questions, since political side work by staffers has long been tolerated in Lansing as long as it stays off taxpayer time.

Reckling said her outside work had been approved under previous leadership, and that Wiggins had received similar clearance under Brinks.

The shakeup followed a recent Michigan Advance story highlighting the firm’s work for GOP gubernatorial hopefuls Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R-Porter Township) and U.S. Rep. John James (R-Shelby Township), as well as a voter-citizenship ballot initiative.

Nesbitt called the ousters a blatant power play.

“Unfortunately, the Senate majority leader has engaged in a witch hunt to try and attack political opponents,” he said.

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Theis described the move as “disgraceful” and said she was never consulted before her top aide was pushed out.

Former Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville confirmed with The Detroit News that outside political work isn’t new—the longstanding rule has simply been to keep campaign work separate from Capitol duties.

Reckling, who served Theis in both chambers, said she plans to return full-time to her consulting work and to help Republicans try to flip the Senate in 2026.

“This is the most political decision that I have seen in my 20 years in Lansing,” Reckling said.