As the rift in the Hillsdale County Republican Party continues to fester, yet another lawsuit has been filed–this time the Republicans are suing—themselves.
Members of the Executive Committee of the local GOP have filed a lawsuit against the party’s current slate of officers.
The thirteen page document claims the officers, which include Chair Daren Wiseley, Vice-Chair lance Lashaway, Secretary Jon Smith, Parliamentarian John Rutan, Treasurer Josh Gritzmaker and Deputy Treasurer Belle Stier, committed a misdemeanor by refusing to allow duly-elected precinct delegates to take part in the local Republican convention on August 11th.
At that time, party members who were locked out of the convention held a separate event in a parking lot in downtown Hillsdale, where they elected delegates to the state convention. Those delegates were recognized by the Michigan GOP.
However, state party leaders refused to acknowledge a later vote to remove and replace the officers.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Hillsdale County Circuit Court, asks the court to confirm that the actions of the local officers were improper and to clear the way for the bi-annual election of officers and Executive Committee members within 20 days of the November 8th election.
The suit is the latest shot in an ongoing war within the party, which has included a lawsuit filed by the Hillsdale County GOP officers against the Hillsdale County Fair for breach of contract over who was in control of the party’s fair booth.