The state Bureau of Elections is continuing its probe into whether money paid by the Michigan Republican Party to former Secretary of State candidate Stan Grot violated campaign finance laws.
Jack Rollow, spokesman for Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, confirmed Thursday that the investigation would continue despite the Michigan Republican Party earlier this week withdrawing a letter sent last week to the Bureau by then-party chair Laura Cox.
Cox's February 4 letter triggered the investigation.
Cox wrote that payments made by the party to Grot might be campaign finance violations.
Cox has accused newly-elected Republican Party chair Ron Weiser of financial impropriety in connection with the payments. She has alleged that Weiser paid Grot $200,000 to persuade him to stay out of the 2018 Secretary of State race.
Weiser said the money paid to Grot was for legitimate party work, and he called Cox's allegations baseless.
The Michigan Republican Party said Tuesday it had contacted the Bureau of Elections to formally withdraw Cox's letter. It said it believes it has complied with the law.
Weiser replaced Cox as party chair in an election held over the weekend.
