In a statement released on Wednesday, January 24, the chair of the Arizona Republican Party, Jeff DeWit, announced that he is resigning from his position. His resignation comes after a release of an audio conversation between him and Lake appeared to show that he had attempted to bribe her to stay out of the Arizona Senate race in 2024 to comply with the wishes of “powerful people.”
As background, during the conversation, DeWit could be heard saying, “There are very powerful people who want to keep you out.” Getting to the important question of what her price to stay out of the race 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?’”
Kari Lake, for her part, flatly refused his request that she stay out of the race in exchange for a bribe. Telling him as much, Lake said, “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.” She continued, “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…”
Now, DeWit has resigned over the scandal the recording’s release caused. He, in a statement on the matter, said, “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. 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.”
Continuing, he attempted to obliquely justify his questions during the call and claim that he had done a great job restoring the party, writing, “As Chairman, my primary duty is to strengthen our party, which often involves challenging dialogues and strategic decisions. These conversations are meant to assess and enhance the viability of our candidates. The truth is, when I took the helm, our party was in disarray – financially unstable, organizationally weak, and lacking in momentum. Today, we have made significant improvements in acquiring a new office headquarters, legal victories for election integrity, and historic fundraising achievements.”
He then accused Lake of being the unethical one and attempted to justify the call by saying he was simply attempting to “offer perspective,” saying, “The ethical breach in her recording of our conversation, while Lake was my employee, raises serious legal and moral concerns. This act of recording was not just a betrayal of trust but also a violation of the fiduciary responsibilities of an employee. Contrary to accusations of bribery, my discussions were transparent and intended to offer perspective, not coercion.”
DeWit also admitted that he said things he perhaps should not have, but then quickly added that he thinks he was set up by Lake, saying, “I said things I regret, 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.”
And, explaining why he decided to resign rather than fight, he wrote, “This morning, I was determined to fight for my position. However, a few hours ago, 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. I am resigning as Lake requested, in the hope that she will honor her commitment to cease her attacks, allowing me to return to the business sector—a field I find much more logical and prefer over politics.”
The recording and DeWit’s resignation mark the end of a contentious relationship between the two. Lake, for example, confronted DeWit in a restaurant in 2023 and alleged that he did not sufficiently help her after her failed 2022 gubernatorial race, as he did not support her allegations that she unfairly lost the electoral battle.
Listen to the recording at issue here:
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