TL/DR –
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake was booed and jeered at the annual Arizona Republican Party meeting after leaked audio revealed a conversation between her and then GOP chairman Jeff DeWit, discussing delaying her political ambitions. DeWit claimed he was secretly recorded in Lake’s home, and Lake allegedly threatened to release a more damaging recording if he did not resign. In response to Lake’s tactics, a bill has been proposed in the Arizona Legislature that would make secretly recording a conversation a crime.
Republican Senate Candidate Kari Lake Faced with Boos at GOP Meeting
Senate candidate Kari Lake may have anticipated a warmer welcome when she attended the annual Arizona Republican Party meeting at Dream City Church in north Phoenix. Instead, she faced boos and jeers.
A controversy arose when DailyMail.com published a leaked conversation between Lake and GOP chairman Jeff DeWit. DeWit suggested that “powerful people” would reward Lake for pausing her political pursuits. Lake demanded DeWit’s resignation, and he confessed that the conversation was secretly recorded at Lake’s house.
GOP Members Disapprove of Lake’s Secret Recordings
DeWit stated that he had received an ultimatum from Lake’s team threatening to release a more damaging recording. Lake has a history of recording interactions with reporters and arriving at campaign events with a microphone.
However, it appears many Republicans disapprove of Lake’s secret recordings of fellow Republicans, as evidenced by their reaction at the meeting. Lake’s campaign chair: Advocates for Christian control of US.
Proposed Bill Could Criminalize Secret Recordings
Most attendees likely weren’t aware of Arizona’s one-party consent law, which permits recording a conversation if one party consents. This may have prompted some, including Trump, to consider bringing an electronic listening device detector to discussions with Lake.
Just before the GOP meeting, a bill was introduced in the Arizona Legislature that could criminalize secret recordings. House Bill 2038, proposed by Republican state Rep. David L. Cook, would make it a Class 5 felony to record a conversation without notifying all parties.
A Class 5 felony conviction in Arizona can result in six months to 2½ years of imprisonment. While secret recordings are presently legal and politically impactful, perceptions may soon change.
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