Arizona GOP chair resigns after bribery implication

The chair of Arizona’s Republican Party resigned abruptly Wednesday, a day after the publication of a 10-minute recording of a conversation between himself and Kari Lake, a former nominee for governor, in which he appeared to offer a bribe to persuade Lake to drop her 2024 Senate campaign.

In the recording, which was published by The Daily Mail, Jeff DeWit, the chair, tells Lake that there are “very powerful people that want to keep you out” of the race and suggests he is passing on a message from them. He says he had been told to ask her: “Is there any companies out there or something that could just put her on the payroll and give her — to keep her out?”

Later in the conversation, which DeWit repeatedly urges Lake not to repeat to anyone, he starts to ask, “Is there a number at which — " before Lake interrupts, saying “I can be bought?” He replies, “Not be bought,” but instead wait a few years before running.

Lake brushed off the attempts, repeatedly telling DeWit that she was offended by the approach.

On Wednesday, DeWit accused Lake of releasing a “selectively edited” recording of the conversation, which he said had happened in person at Lake’s house more than 10 months ago. He indicated he had not realized he was being recorded.

“Contrary to accusations of bribery, my discussions were transparent and intended to offer perspective, not coercion,” he said in a statement, though he also acknowledged that he “said things I regret.”

He also said that Lake had pressured him to resign Wednesday, threatening to release a second recording.