In a shocking, exclusive report released on January 24, 2024, The Daily Mail revealed an audio recording of the exact moment when Jeff Dewit, the 51-year-old chair of the Arizona Republican Party, was caught attempting to bribe pro-Trump Kari Lake not to run for the open state Senate seat.
Specifically, in the report, the DailyMail.com revealed that Mr. DeWit was, in the conversation recorded in March of 2023, asking what Lake’s price was to stay out of state politics for two years. That would have cut her out of the 2024 election, in which she is running for the state’s open Senate seat and has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump. Lake was considering her senate run at the time.
Speaking to Lake in the conversation, DeWit informed her that there were powerful interests who want to keep her out of office, and asked what her price would be to drop out for a few years. He said, ‘There are very powerful people who want to keep you out.” Getting to what her price would be, DeWit asked, “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?’”
Lake, as could be predicted, reacts with indignation to the suggestion. He later tried again, asking, “Just say, is there a number at which…” At that point Lake cut in and refused to contemplate giving in and accepting a bribe. She snapped, “I can be baught? That’s what it’s about.”
Firmly rejecting the offer and suggestion, Lake told him, “No. 10 million…? No, no, no, a billion. No. This is not about money. This is about our country. I think it’s disturbing that they would even that anybody would think this is.”
Continuing her refusal to give in and accept the bribe, Lake told DeWit, “I’m not going to let these people who hate our country, tell me not to run, you should call them and tell them to get behind me. So what’s going on? What is I’m assuming this is our friend…”
That’s when DeWit told her that there were powerful people behind the push to keep her out of the race. He said, “This is back East. They there are very powerful people gonna keep you out. They do. But they’re willing to put their money where their mouth is, in a big way.” Lake, for her part, told him, This is crazy, though. They should want me I’m a great candidate. People love me. These people are corrupt.”
Later in the conversation, Lake again explained her refusal to even contemplate the idea, noting that it was a way of attacking Trump. She said, “This is about defeating Trump. And I think that’s a bad bad thing for our country. DeSantis is not America first. This is about the final death blow to Trump. And I don’t think that’s good for our country. It’s not good for our country.”
Listen to the conversation here:
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