Arizona GOP Chairman Jeff DeWit has been discovered to have attempted to bribe Kari Lake into staying out of the U.S. Senate race.
The audio recording revealing DeWit’s intentions was obtained by The Daily Mail and confirmed by Just the News.
“There are very powerful people who want to keep you out, DeWit tells Lake, according to a transcript by The Daily Mail.
“So the ask I got today from back east was: “Is there any companies out there or something that could just put her on the payroll to keep her out?” DeWit asks, adding, “Just say, is there a number at which….”
“I can be bought? That’s what it’s about,” Lake says.
DeWit responds, “You can take a pause for a couple of years. You can go right back to what you’re doing.”
Lake adamantly says, “This is not about money, this is about our country. I think it’s disturbing that they could even, that anyone would think this is…”
DeWit continues to attempt to persuade Lake to not run, prompting her to say, “I’m not going to let these people who hate our [expletive] country tell me not to run. You should call them and tell them to get behind me.”
DeWit has since announced his resignation as Arizona Republican Party Chair.
“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 said in a statement. “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.”
“I said things I regret,” he added, “but I realize when hearing Lake’s recording that I was set up. I believe she orchestrated this entire situation to have control over the state party, and it is obvious from the recording that she crafted her performance responses with the knowledge that she was recording it, intending to use this recording later to portray herself as a hero in her own story.”
DeWit explained that he was resigning after receiving an “ultimatum from Lake’s team: resign today or face the release of a new, more damaging recording.”
“I am truly unsure of its contents, but considering our numerous past open conversations as friends, I have decided not to take the risk,” he said. “I am resigning as Lake requested, in the hope that she will honor to commitment to cease her attacks, allowing me to return to the business sector – a field I find much more logical and prefer over politics.”
