Arizona Republican Party Chair Jeff DeWit has resigned amidst allegations of a leaked audio recording that has ignited controversy surrounding the Senate candidacy of Kari Lake.
The resignation comes one day after The Daily Mail reported on the leaked recording, in which DeWit claims he was "set up" by Lake, accusing her of attempting to "bribe" him against running for the Senate, as per Fox News.
Arizona GOP Chair Resigns Over Leaked Audio
DeWit, a former Trump campaign chief operating officer and NASA chief financial officer, detailed the circumstances leading to his resignation in a lengthy letter. The audio recording, published by The Daily Mail, captured a conversation between DeWit and Lake, suggesting financial benefits for her to stay out of the 2024 Senate race. DeWit alleged that Lake threatened to release a more damaging recording if he did not resign promptly.
In response, Lake's senior advisers, Caroline Wren and Garrett Ventry, vehemently denied the allegations, stating, "No one from the Kari Lake campaign threatened or blackmailed DeWit." They criticized DeWit's resignation, emphasizing his failure to acknowledge the alleged unethical behavior and his lack of apology to Arizona Republicans.
DeWit, in his resignation statement posted on the Arizona Republican Party's social media platform, X, claimed he believed he was set up by Lake to gain control over the state party. He cited an ultimatum from Lake's team, compelling him to resign or face the release of a more damaging recording. DeWit expressed uncertainty about the contents of the alleged recording but chose to resign to avoid the risk.
The leaked audio recording revealed DeWit discussing potential financial arrangements with "very powerful people" to dissuade Lake from entering the Senate race. Lake, however, rejected any suggestion of being bought, emphasizing that her decision was about the country and not money, according to CNN News.
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DeWit's Resignation Deepens Arizona GOP
DeWit's resignation adds another layer to the ongoing turmoil within the Arizona GOP, marked by divisions between establishment Republicans and those aligned with Donald Trump. DeWit, considered a bridge between these factions, had been appointed as state GOP chairman in January 2023.
Lake, a former television news anchor, is among several GOP contenders for the Senate seat currently held by independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. The leaked recording and subsequent allegations have intensified the already competitive political landscape in Arizona, a key battleground state in the upcoming 2024 elections.
DeWit's claim of being set up and Lake's denial of any wrongdoing have created a rift within the Arizona Republican Party. The situation raises questions about the ethics of private conversations, with DeWit expressing concern about the release of personal interactions for personal gain.
With Arizona prepared to play an important part in the upcoming 2024 elections, the resignation of DeWit and the release of a leaked audio recording have injected an additional aspect of issues into the state's political situation. The implications of what happened are likely to have an ongoing effect as the Senate race and overall political ways change in the upcoming months, News13 reported.
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