During a speaking engagement on Friday, failed Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake made a wild leap in Donald Trump's defense by weighing in on his indictment via threats of physical violence towards the DOJ and President Biden.
Speaking to an audience of Georgia Republican activists, Lake issued a warning for anyone "coming after" Trump, saying, "I have a message tonight for Merrick Garland, and Jack Smith, and Joe Biden. And the guys back there in the fake news media, you should listen up as well, this one's for you. If you wanna get to President Trump, you're gonna have to go through me, and you're gonna have to go through 75 million Americans just like me."
On the off-chance that the GOP audience didn't pick up what she was puttin' down, Lake highlighted her intended meaning with bravado, saying, "And I'm gonna tell you, most of us are card-carrying members of the NRA. That's not a threat, that's a public service announcement."
She’s pathetic, gross, and disgusting. Kari Lake implies threatened gun violence against the Department of Justice, President Biden, and the press. pic.twitter.com/BjC4Oengkp
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) June 10, 2023
According to Washington Post reporter Isaac Arnsdorf, who attended the event, Lake received a standing ovation after issuing an invitation for rioting with the comments she had just made from the stage.
Fred Guttenberg, father of two children who died during the Parkland school shooting, responded to Lake's comments in a tweet, saying, "This is a threat to public safety by a former Gov candidate to AZ. Like those who support her, they have bastardized the 2A & believe it gives them rights to kill you. Kari Lake just demonstrated how these terrorists use the 2A to support violence & this is why they must lose."
Lake's final stance?
"I meant what I said."
This is a threat to public safety by a former Gov candidate to Az. Like those who support her, they have bastardized the 2A & believe it gives them rights to kill you. Kari Lake just demonstrated how these terrorists use the 2A to support violence & this is why they must lose. pic.twitter.com/Ay2TXrnjwi
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) June 10, 2023
