Florida's former GOP chair compares Trump's Republican National Committee takeover to 'a funeral' after daughter-in-law Lara fired more than 90 staff - and claims millions are being spent to 'perpetuate the fallacy of election fraud'

The former chair of the Florida Republican Party compared the bloodbath of firings at the Republican National Committee under new chair Lara Trump is like 'a funeral' and leading the party the wrong way.

New Trump-aligned leadership at the Republican National Committee are preparing to purge at least 60 staff members across multiple departments within the party, which is now being led by former President Trump's daughter-in-law.

Two people close to the RNC and Trump's campaign said the process of removing dozens of officials began Monday, according to Politico.

Al Cardenas, who runs the GOP in the Sunshine State and is the husband of prominent anti-Trump 'The View' co-host Ana Navarro, told MSNBC Friday that this is being done in order to use the national party's funds to fight former President Trump's election grievances. 

'They're moving a small squad to integrate with a presidential campaign by name only. They're concentrating on lawyers and election fraud,' he said.

Al Cardenas, the former chair of the Florida Republican Party compared the bloodbath of firings at the Republican National Committee under new chair Lara Trump is like 'a funeral' and leading the party the wrong way

New Trump-aligned leadership at the Republican National Committee are preparing to purge at least 60 staff members across multiple departments within the party, which is now being led by former President Trump's daughter-in-law Lara (pictured)

Cardenas - who represented the party as a delegate at every Republican convention from 1976 to 2008 - believes the firings may be closer to 90 people and said he was heartbroken over what's happening to the party. 

'This is nonsense, I mean, it's only spending millions to perpetuate the fallacy that there was election fraud in 2020,' he said. 

'That's all. That's all it is, but, you know, replacing the RNC and what it does, to me, I've given it 40 years of my life. It breaks my heart.'

Cardenas, a senior advisor to Jeb Bush's failed 2016 campaign, frets over what will happen to the party down ballot, noting how the RNC is supposed to work 'on voter registration' and turning people out.

'It takes away a major component of getting your communities involved in the political process, and now it's all going to be dictated from the top, and you wonder what our future will be down the ballot,' he said.

He called the whole process like being 'at a funeral' and said: 'You know, 1854, the birth of the Republican Party, 2024, the demise of the Republican Party.' 

The former president's takeover of the RNC was solidified last week when during the spring meeting in Houston, Texas his daughter-in-law Lara Trump was elected co-chair and loyalist North Carolina GOP Chairman Michael Whatley was elected to replace Ronna McDaniel.

Former Chairwoman McDaniel announced she would end her tenure at the RNC after months of pressure from Trump for her to step aside after his allies turned on her.

Cardenas, who runs the GOP in the Sunshine State and is the husband of prominent anti-Trump ' The View ' co-host Ana Navarro, told MSNBC Friday that this is being done in order to use the national party's funds to fight former President Trump's election grievances

The former president's takeover of the RNC was solidified last week when during the spring meeting in Houston, Texas his daughter-in-law Lara Trump was elected co-chair and loyalist North Carolina GOP Chairman Michael Whatley was elected to replace Ronna McDaniel

Meanwhile, the new leadership expects to let go five dozen employees across the political, communications and data departments – including five senior staff whose names were not shared with Politico.

Vendor contracts could also be cut, the sources warn.

As rumors stirred of an RNC shake-up last year, there were concerns of large staff cuts attributed to damping down the 'bureaucracy' and helping to focus funds on winning elections.

The RNC's new Chief Operating Officer Sean Cairncross sent a letter to political and data staff claiming leadership is 'in the process of evaluating the organization and staff to ensure the building is aligned' with its vision.

'During this process, certain staff are being asked to resign and reapply for a position on the team,' he noted.

The swift and sweeping layoffs underscores Trump's quick takeover of the party. Usually the campaign and RNC merge when there is a nominee – but the GOP doesn't hold its official nominating convention until July.

Trump is expected to earn the 1,215 delegate threshold needed to clinch the nomination after Tuesday's primaries in Georgia, Mississippi and Washington state.

New RNC leadership took over operational control of the party on Monday after last week's elections at the spring meeting in Texas.

The swift and sweeping layoffs underscores Trump's quick takeover of the party. Usually the campaign and RNC merge when there is a nominee – but the GOP doesn't hold its official nominating convention until July

New RNC leadership took over operational control of the party on Monday after last week's elections at the spring meeting in Texas

Lara Trump, wife of Trump's second son Eric, said Sunday the GOP will become laser focused on prosecuting 'election cheaters' after she was unanimously voted RNC co-chair on Friday.

'I can guarantee you, that over the next 8 months, you are going to see things happen at the Republican National Committee unlike you have ever seen before. Because this is a must win election!' Lara told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo.

She told Bartiromo just two days after becoming co-chair that they are working to establish a network of volunteer poll watchers in 2024 and lawyers amid 78 lawsuits in 23 states where the RNC is trying to make it easier to vote and 'harder to cheat.'

'We have to ensure that when people go vote they feel like their vote counts, that they are inspired to go vote. We can never allow what happened in 2020 and the questions surrounding that election to ever happen again,' she said.

'So I'll tell you right now what is already under way at the RNC,' Lara continued. 'We have for the first time ever an 'Election Integrity Division' – this means vast resources dedicated solely to this cause.'

She made it clear that the main goal of the RNC will now be to attack those who think 2020 was legitimate and to launch litigation against those who they believe are trying to 'cheat' or interfere unlawfully in the 2024 election.

'I want to say to anyone out there who's thinking about cheating in an election, we will go after you,' the new RNC co-chair warned. 'You will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. It is not worth it.'

'Every person in this country, Maria, whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, should want free, fair, and transparent elections.'