DeWit Resigns After Release Of Damning Kari Lake Audio… But There’s A Twist

The tape was released Tuesday. DeWit resigned on Wednesday. But the sniping isn’t over yet… he claims he was set up.

It all comes back to the recording of a conversation between Kari Lake and Jeff DeWit, the Chair of Arizona’s GOP. The part of the conversation we heard involved Jeff trying to convince Lake to step out of the political spotlight (‘for two years).

If she did so, she would be offered… something. (Hear the audio and judge for yourself here.)

Will this presidential election be the most important in American history?

Yes

No

Submit Vote

DeWit claims he was going to stay in his position and presumably fight to save his reputation as of yesterday morning. That was before the Lake camp called on him to resign before an even more damning recording was ALSO released. (It was never specified exactly what was on that recording, and DeWit claims not to know.)

At that point, he announced his resignation. But he’s still claiming he was treated unfairly, and that his motives are being mischaracterized. What is being called a ‘bribe’ is described by him as ‘offering perspective’ as a friend.

He announced his decision to resign Wednesday in a press release that stated, “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.”

DeWit continued, saying he is “unsure” of what the other audio recording may contain, but “considering our numerous past open conversations as friends, I have decided not to take the risk.”

The press release issued by DeWit said further, “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.” — Deseret News

Not surprisingly, he claims the recording was ‘manipulated’ and that she made the secret recording with the intent of putting herself in a good light and him in a negative light. He does not deny the authenticity of the recording itself.

Lake, for her part, claims the recording stands on its own:

“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,” campaign senior adverse Caroline Wren and Garrett Ventry told Fox News Digital.

“She will be an incredible Senator for Arizonans. No one from the Kari Lake campaign threatened or blackmailed DeWit. It is unfortunate that Dewit hasn’t recognized how unethical his behavior was and still hasn’t apologized to Arizona Republicans. DeWit’s false claims are just par for the course. The Arizona GOP must be relieved to have his resignation. Now we can focus on getting ethical leadership and win big in 2024,” they added.

Fox News has obtained the audio recording, first reported on by the Daily Mail on Tuesday, which the Lake campaign authenticated, that appears to show DeWit asking her if there is “any number” that would entice her to “take a pause for a couple of years.”

In the recording, Lake pushed back on the notion that she “can be bought.” In his resignation letter, DeWit acknowledged it was him in the recording and claimed Lake released a “selectively edited audio recording” of a more than 10-month-old private conversation between the two, and that it was “taken out of context.” —FoxNews