Arizona Republican Party Chairman Jeff DeWit has resigned following a leaked recording in which he offered a job to U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake and asked her to name a price that would keep her out of politics. DeWit’s departure has significant implications for the Republican Party in Arizona, a battleground state that will play a crucial role in the upcoming November election for control of the White House and the U.S. Senate.
At the time of the recording, Lake was fighting an unsuccessful court battle challenging her loss in the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial race while also preparing for a U.S. Senate campaign. Meanwhile, Republicans in Washington, still recovering from a disappointing performance in the midterms, were openly discussing the need for more viable GOP Senate candidates in general elections.
The leaked recording, first published by The Daily Mail, captured DeWit telling Lake that there were powerful individuals who wanted to keep her out of politics and were willing to provide significant financial support to achieve that goal. Although DeWit did not disclose who asked him to approach Lake, he mentioned that they were from the East Coast and repeatedly asked her to keep their conversation confidential.
DeWit asked Lake if there was a monetary figure that would convince her to refrain from running for the Senate. In response, Lake interjected, asking if he was suggesting that she could be bought. DeWit, in a statement announcing his resignation, explained that he had intended to fight to keep his position until Lake’s team presented him with an ultimatum to resign or face the release of another, more damaging recording. Concerned about the contents of that recording and considering their past open conversations as friends, DeWit chose not to take the risk.
DeWit clarified that he did not intend to bribe Lake but was offering her candid advice to sit out the Senate race and instead run for governor again in 2028. He described their relationship as based on friendship and claimed that the recorded conversation was an open and unguarded exchange between friends in Lake’s living room.
Lake, a former television news anchor, has a history of using recordings of her confrontations to her advantage. She often wears a small microphone during public appearances, while her husband records her interactions with various individuals. Sometimes, she posts videos of these confrontations on social media. Lake’s Senate campaign asserted that the leaked recording clearly showed DeWit attempting to bribe her.
The recording’s release comes just days before former President Donald Trump is scheduled to appear at a fundraiser for the Arizona GOP, which is currently in need of financial support. Without explicitly naming DeWit, Lake has repeatedly discussed the meeting in public, using it to portray herself as an outsider challenging a corrupt establishment.
Lake’s campaign commented on the recording, stating that it speaks for itself and highlighting DeWit’s unethical behavior. They also criticized DeWit for not apologizing to Arizona Republicans and expressed relief at his resignation, emphasizing the need for ethical leadership to win big in 2024.
DeWit, who served as the chief operating officer for Trump’s 2016 and 2020 campaigns and as the chief financial officer at NASA during the Trump presidency, criticized Lake’s tendency to exploit private interactions for personal gain. He raised concerns about her ability to engage in private and confidential conversations as a United States Senator, particularly given her close association with Trump.
DeWit was considered a trusted and experienced operative who could bridge the divide between Trump loyalists and traditional Republicans in Arizona. Many of the latter were brought into the party by the late Senator John McCain. Prior to his involvement in national politics, DeWit served as Arizona’s elected state treasurer.
Lake, speaking at Trump’s New Hampshire primary victory party, called for DeWit’s resignation, stating that the Republican Party cannot be led by someone corrupt and compromised.
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