A famous saying advises, “Truth is stranger than fiction.” However, in many cases, truth is nearly identical to fiction. Such is the case with the revelation of the attempted bribe of Arizona political candidate Kari Lake.
It was a scene reminiscent of the classic Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, the iconic 1939 Frank Capra film in which Jefferson Smith, the protagonist portrayed brilliantly by James Stewart, becomes a senator and experiences the crookedness and corruption of Washington. A powerful political machine bribed him to “stay out of the way” in politics, but the honorable Smith refused to do so and was attacked by, what people would call today, the “Swamp.”
Lake revealed a recording of a phone call on Tuesday in which Arizona GOP Chairman Jeff DeWit bribed her. It was a shocking but not altogether surprising conversation.
“So the ask I got today from back east was: ‘Is there any companies out there or something that could just put her on the payroll to keep her out?’” DeWit said, to which Lake scoffed. “$10 million, $20 million, $30 [million] … no, no, no. A billion? No. This is not about money; this is about our country,” Lake said. “I think it’s disturbing that … anybody would even think this is —”
His bribery attempt confirmed the suspicions of voters who distrust establishment Republicans. It publicly highlighted the corrupt political system responsible for choosing those who govern the country. DeWit would tender his resignation on Wednesday, but the damage was already done. It was a harrowing revelation that was eerily similar to the plight of Stewart’s character.
Like Jefferson Smith, Kari Lake was approached with a bribe to “stay out of the way” by the political machine, the Washington Examiner reported. Like Smith, she rejected the bribe, demonstrating her honor and integrity. Not being seduced by temptations of political bribery is a good thing, yet one would be hard-pressed to hear anything from those who spent the last several years clamoring for decency. In fact, they appear to be doing the exact opposite.
A recent article in RealClearPolitics had the audacity to criticize Lake for exposing corruption. The journalist rebuked her and convoluted the story. Lake was the recipient of the author’s vitriol, not unscrupulous politicians. It was a shocking reality but, again, not altogether surprising. Incidentally, this is similar to what happened in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Is truth really stranger than fiction?
The scandal is just the latest example of why so many Republican voters have flocked to Lake, former President Donald Trump, and the MAGA movement. Among other things, experiences like this scandal have demonstrated they cannot trust the people who seek their vote. For better or worse, they have grown tired of the debased elitism that betrays voters with shady arrangements and backroom dealings while smiling in front of them to get their votes and support.
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The donor-class Republicans have sacrificed their ethics and moralities on the altar of politics. The same people who lamented dishonesty and decency when it pertained to Trump and MAGA voters are eerily quiet about this actual wrongdoing. Suddenly, no one wants to denounce the political corruption and bribery attempts. Furthermore, Lake’s integrity warrants accolades and applause. People should appreciate this kind of character from elected leaders. The affluent political class can be bought. Lake cannot.
It’s telling that a real-world situation in the 21st century played out similarly to the plot of a film nearly 85 years old. But just as Jefferson Smith was a trustworthy, honest, and fictional politician stuck in a corrupt system in 1939, Kari Lake authentically represents one in 2024.