Kari Lake criticized Department of Justice special counsel John “Jack” Smith, accusing him of promoting “legal tyranny.” Speaking on “The Chris Salcedo Show,” Lake expressed her dismay at Smith’s attempt to compile a list of users who had interacted with former President Donald Trump’s Twitter account, as indicated in a legal filing from January.
Lake was incredulous at the notion that individuals who liked or retweeted Trump’s tweets could be targeted, likening this approach to tactics used in authoritarian regimes. “This is the kind of tyranny we’ve seen in banana republics and communist dictatorships, and now it’s arrived in our country,” she said.
The request by Smith was part of his broader legal efforts to prosecute Trump and 18 of his associates for their alleged roles in trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election. This request, among other redacted documents, was made public on Monday.
Lake highlighted the absurdity and danger of this action, pointing out that engaging with a president’s social media is a common practice. She emphasized the intense scrutiny and pressure Trump is facing from what she described as a “weaponized” Department of Justice.
Lake, who is expected to clinch the Republican primary, is set to compete against Democrat Congressman Ruben Gallego and former Democrat, now independent, Kyrsten Sinema for the Senate seat. This race is viewed as crucial for the GOP’s efforts to regain control of the Senate.
Previously, Lake had run for governor in Arizona, facing then-Democrat Secretary of State Katie Hobbs. In a close race, Lake was defeated by a narrow margin of 17,000 votes, with the final tally being 50.32% to 49.65% in Hobbs’ favor.
