‘He Kicked Me In The Balls’: GOP Meeting Turns Violent, Ends In Hospital Visit
Brandon Poulter on July 10, 2023
Michigan GOP members met Saturday in what turned out to be a violent evening that led to one person going to the hospital, according to The Detroit News.
The Michigan GOP state committee gathered at the Doherty Hotel in Clare, Michigan, to discuss the party’s direction with new Chairwoman Kristin Karamo, according to The Detroit News. James Chapman, a Republican from Wayne County, arrived at the meeting to find the door locked, and when he finally managed to get into the meeting, chaos ensued.
“He kicked me in my balls as soon as I opened the door,” Mark DeYoung, chairman of the Clare County Republican Party, told The Detroit News. DeYoung fell to the floor after the strike, causing him to break a rib and to go to the hospital.
Chapman alleges that DeYoung swung at him first and said, “‘I’ll kick your ass,” according to The Detroit News. Chapman removed his glasses prior to taking down DeYoung, saying, “When you see me taking my glasses off, I’m ready to rock.”
The fight intensified with Chapman slamming DeYoung into a chair. Police were called to the scene after the melee ensued, according to The Detroit News. DeYoung said he will press charges against Chapman.
“We’re so divided. I just wish we could come together,” DeYoung said from the hospital, according to The Detroit News.
Recent turmoil has affected the Michigan GOP, with five Republican candidates in 2022 being kicked off the gubernatorial ballot in 2022, according to Politico. One of the candidates, Ryan Kelley, was arrested for charges related to Jan. 6, according to NBC News.
Democrats took control of both chambers of the state legislature for the first time in 40 years in 2022 as well as winning the governorship, according to Fox 2 Detroit. Democrats also won the state attorney general and secretary of state positions.
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