Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Kari Lake made headlines this week following the release of a recording in which the state’s GOP Chairman, Jeff DeWit, engaged in an apparent attempt to bribe her not to run.
“There are very powerful people who want to keep you out,” DeWit said in the clip reportedly recorded in March.
Hey @JeffDeWitAZ before you resign, would you mind sharing the names of the "very powerful people" who buy US politicians? https://t.co/MZpE1K9i8z
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) January 24, 2024
He also asked her to name the price it would take to convince her to “take a pause for a couple of years.”
She rebuffed his pressure at the time and after the audio clip surfaced she called on DeWit to resign.
“He’s got to resign,” she declared during an interview in New Hampshire following former President Donald Trump’s primary election victory. “We can’t have somebody who is corrupt and compromised running the Republican Party.”
The following day, DeWit confirmed that he would be stepping down in a statement that attempted to turn the tables on Lake.
“This morning, I was determined to fight for my position,” he said. “However, a few hours ago, I received an ultimatum from Lake’s team: Resign today or face the release of a new, more damaging recording.”
DeWit claimed to be “truly unsure of its contents” but tacitly acknowledged that Lake could possess additional damaging audio.
“Considering our numerous past open conversations as friends, I have decided not to take the risk,” he concluded. “I am resigning as Lake requested, in the hope that she will honor her commitment to cease her attacks, allowing me to return to the business sector — a field I find much more logical and prefer over politics.”
The Arizona Republican Party released a statement in which DeWit attempted to downplay the significance of the damning clip.
“In light of the recent revelation that Kari Lake has released a selectively edited audio recording of our private conversation, I must clearly address this deceptive tactic,” he claimed. “The recording, from over ten months ago, is not only taken out of context but also undermines the integrity of private discussions critical for party leadership.”
