Jeff DeWit, the chairman of Arizona’s Republican Party, who is heard on a newly released tape allegedly trying to bribe Kari Lake to drop out of the senate race, has resigned as head of the state Republican party.
In a bombshell secret recording, DeWit is heard asking Lake if there’s a price tag in which she’ll suspend her campaign to become Arizona’s next senator. “Is there a number in which…” DeWit says to Lake, alluding to the idea of offering her money to drop out. Lake, in shock, replies with a chuckle “[In which] I can be bought?”
In a statement sent out by the Arizona Republican Party, DeWit accused the Lake campaign of threatening him to resign and if he did not, they would release more damaging audio recordings. DeWit accuses Lake of setting him up, but in the end, he said he would honor the senatorial candidate's request for him to resign.
Does Texas have a constitutional right to defy Supreme Court on protecting its border?
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Statement from Chairman @JeffDeWitAZ
#AZGOP pic.twitter.com/qxKd2Pqlp6
— Arizona Republican Party (@AZGOP) January 24, 2024
DeWit initially responded to the audio by clarifying his intentions. “You can take a pause for a couple of years. Then go right back to what you’re doing.”
BREAKING: Arizona Republican Party chair Jeff DeWit caught on secret recording trying to bribe Kari Lake not to run for the Senate.
Holy s***!
"There are very powerful people who want to keep you out," he said.
At one point during the secret recording, Lake was asked to name… pic.twitter.com/9r1DoDzITD
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 23, 2024
In a bombshell secret recording, DeWit is heard asking Lake if there’s a price tag in which she’ll suspend her campaign to become Arizona’s next senator. “Is there a number in which…” DeWit says to Lake, alluding to the idea of offering her money to drop out. Lake, in shock, replies with a chuckle “[In which] I can be bought?”
DeWit responds by clarifying his intentions. “You can take a pause for a couple of years. Then go right back to what you’re doing.”
Lake counters by asserting, “No. 10 million, 20 million, 30… a billion? No.” The Arizona senate candidate adds, “This is not about money. This is about our country.”
Angered by what she’s hearing, Lake makes it clear to DeWit that she won’t give into any sort of bribe that will tamper with her senate election. “I’m not going to let these people who hate our f****** country tell me not to run. You should call them and tell them to get behind me.”
DeWit responds to Lake with a cryptic message. “There are very powerful people that want to keep you out. But they’re willing to put their money where their mouth is in a big way.”
After sharing his intentions, DeWit tells Lake, “So, this conversation never happened.” This is followed up with Lake declaring, “This is crazy, though. They should want me. I’m a great candidate. People love me. These people are corrupt… they’re going to try and have me murdered.”
Dewit continually stresses to Lake to keep this conversation private. “I’ll get myself in trouble. If you say no, it's fine, it’s your choice. Don’t tell people,” DeWit said hinting at his offer. “Never repeat this [conversation]. If you say no, don’t say ‘because I got offered a buy out…’ because then we lose our ability to get things done in the future,” he said.
“They don’t own me… it pisses me off,” Lake counters.
Although Lake is seen continually denying DeWit’s offer, he keeps pressuring Lake to give in. “The ask of me was… ‘is there any companies out there, something that could just put her on the payroll and to keep her out?’”
Lake responds one more time. “This is about defeating Trump, and I think this is a bad, bad thing for our country… I don’t want to make a deal with these kinds of people. This is a hill worth dying on.”
Following the leak of this conversation, Lake was asked if DeWit should resign from his position. She responded with “I believe he should.”
This is a developing story
