The chairman of the Arizona Republican Party, Jeff DeWit, submitted his resignation this Wednesday after the leak of audio in which he appears to be bribing Kari Lake to withdraw from the state Senate race.
DeWit, former chief operating officer of Trump's 2016 and 2020 campaigns, explained in his resignation statement that he was initially determined to fight for his position but that he decided after receiving an alleged ultimatum from Lake's team giving him the option of resigning immediately or facing publication of another even more damaging recording.
Despite this, DeWit said that the tape is a "setup" against him and that the audio had actually been "selectively edited" because, according to him, his intention was simply to suggest that Lake postpone her campaign for a couple of years so that she could then run again as governor.
"It was a suggestion made in good faith, believing it could benefit both her future prospects and the party's overall strategy," he said. "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," he added.
Dewit announced in his statement that he plans to focus on the business sector again after his resignation. "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," he said.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Statement from Chairman @JeffDeWitAZ
#AZGOP pic.twitter.com/qxKd2Pqlp6
— Arizona Republican Party (@AZGOP) January 24, 2024
Lake campaign denies DeWit's version
Following the resignation announcement, the Arizona Senate candidate's campaign categorically rejected the use of deceptive tactics to target the former GOP state chair, as well as any suggestion that the audio had been conveniently edited.
"The tape speaks for itself: The Arizona GOP Chairman Jeff DeWit attempted to bribe Kari Lake. Thankfully, Kari is an extremely ethical person who rejected DeWit's multiple attempts to offer her money and corporate board seats in exchange for Kari not running for public office," the candidate's campaign advisors said.
Lake's campaign also clarified that there were no threats or blackmail to get DeWit to resign and that, while it is unfortunate that the former GOP state chair has not acknowledged his bad behavior, the Arizona Republican Party should now "feel relieved" by his resignation.
The recording
In the conversation, dated early March 2023, DeWit is heard offering her money on the condition that she stay away from politics for two years. However, Lake refused and argued that for her, it was not about money but about her commitment to the country.
The audio was recently published by DailyMail.com, and although Kari Lake had previously said nothing about that conversation, she acknowledged during Donald Trump's campaign party in Nashua, New Hampshire, that the recording was real and opined that DeWit should resign.
