Republican National Committee (RNC) head counsel Charlie Spies is leaving the role after just two months on the job, the RNC confirmed Sunday.
Spies was “pushed out,” NBC News reported, citing a source familiar with the situation.
“Charlie approached RNC Chief of Staff, Chris Lacivita, about potential time commitment conflicts and it was agreed that, while we appreciate and value Charlie’s expertise and professionalism, he cannot do this role full time and still maintain the obligations to his law firm that he has spent years successfully building,” RNC spokesperson Danielle Alvarez said in a statement to The Hill.
The respected conservative lawyer was hired by the RNC in March as the organization prepared for a leadership transition. Trump hand-picked a new chair and vice chair for the committee, promising a radical overhaul of the GOP’s main political group.
Chair Michael Whatley said at the time that Spies and fellow counsel Christina Bobb would be focused on efforts to ensure election security.
“The RNC’s new posture as it relates to this litigation will be an aggressive, proactive effort to ensure that it will be easy to vote and hard to cheat,” he wrote in a letter to members obtained by The Hill.
Spies has publicly rejected Trump’s election fraud claims, which served as a point of friction between him and Trump, The Washington Post reported.
The staffing overhaul came as focus increased on fundraising for the group. The RNC fell significantly behind Democratic groups and President Biden’s reelection campaign in funding before the Trump team takeover in March.
Spies said in a statement to The Hill that working with the RNC “wasn’t the right fit,” due to his work at his law firm, but that he will “remain focused on getting President Trump and Republicans at all levels elected in November.”
