Arizona GOP Chairman Resigns Amid Kari Lake Bribery Allegations

Contact Your Elected Officials
The Epoch Times Header

The chairman said he was ’set up’ by Ms. Lake’s team. Ms. Lake’s campaign denies his claims.

The chairman of the Arizona Republican Party said he resigned from his role on Jan. 23 after a recording of him was leaked that apparently showed him offering U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake money to stay out of that race.

In his resignation statement, Jeff DeWit suggested that Ms. Lake’s team allegedly secretly recorded their conversation before leaking it to the media. He also accused her team of threatening to release more recordings, which he described as being taken out of context, although he provided few details.

“I said things I regret, but I realize when hearing Lake’s recording that I was set up,” Mr. DeWit said in a statement. “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.”

He said the recording and release of the audio was tantamount to a “deceptive tactic” and said it was a “selectively edited audio recording.”

“This is all such a distraction to that mission that I am doing as Ms. Lake wishes and am stepping down as Chairman of the Arizona Republican Party,” he said.

Going further, Mr. DeWit said his relationship with Ms. Lake was “based on friendship” and the “conversation that is now being scrutinized was an open, unguarded exchange between friends in the living room of her house,” according to the statement.

“I genuinely believed I was offering a helpful perspective to someone I considered a friend,” he said.

“I received 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.”

A spokesperson for the Lake campaign released a statement on Jan. 23 saying the “tape speaks for itself” and noted that Ms. Lake “rejected DeWit’s multiple attempts to offer her money and corporate board seats in exchange for Kari not running for public office.”

By Jack Phillips

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

James Franklin’s contract fallout

Penn State’s decision to fire head coach James Franklin after a disappointing 22–21 home loss to Northwestern will cost an estimated $56 million buyout. 

Trump’s Middle East Trip Led to Historic Breakthroughs

Trump’s bold, unconventional strategy helped end the Israel-Hamas war and set the stage for a more stable, prosperous Middle East.

Pretending Really Hard

The world is real and so are its problems, too. Reality is the enemy of liberals, even though they are pretending, really hard, that it is not.

Trump 2.0’s Eurasian Balancing Act Has Failed

Trump's Eurasian balancing act has failed due to his arrogant and aggressive approach towards all three countries.

Should Palestinian clans rebelling against Hamas be given Gaza?

Hamas’s October 7 attack exposed its violent ideology, showing cruelty toward its enemies and also against the Palestinian people it claims to defend.

AI Is a ‘Real and Mysterious Creature,’ Not a Predictable Machine, Anthropic Co-Founder Warns

Handling AI is like dealing with “a real and mysterious creature, not a predictable machine,” said Jack Clark, co-founder of Anthropic, at a Berkeley conference.

Trump, Patel Confirm FBI Special Agents Will Get Paid During Shutdown

FBI special agents will receive their paychecks despite the government shutdown, according to President Donald Trump and FBI Director Kash Patel.

Trump Admin Withholds $41 Million From California Over English-Language Trucking Rules

Trump admin withholds $40.6M in California transportation funds, citing failure to meet federal English proficiency rules for truck drivers.

An Inconvenient Study – Feature Film

Journalist Del Bigtree challenged a top infectious disease expert in 2016 to a vaxxed vs. unvaxxed study. The long-hidden results are finally revealed.

Trump Says He Has Authorized Covert CIA Operations in Venezuela

President Trump authorized covert CIA operations in Venezuela, expanding U.S. assets there to increase pressure on President Nicolás Maduro’s regime.

Trump Posthumously Awards Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom

President Trump posthumously awarded Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the White House Rose Garden on Oct 14, Charlie's birthday.

Trump Names Longtime Adviser Dan Scavino to Key Personnel Position

One of President Trump’s longtime advisers, Dan Scavino, is going to be in charge of selecting and appointing key positions within the executive branch.

First Lady’s Effort Helped Reunite 8 War-Displaced Children With Their Families

First lady Melania Trump said 8 children impacted by the fighting between Ukraine and Russia were reunited with their families on Oct. 9.
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

MAGA Business Central