Kari Lake, a former TV news anchor in Arizona, sparked contraversey when she vowed to resist the indictment of former President Donald Trump. The 38-count federal indictment against Trump, which includes charges of retaining classified records, was unsealed last Friday. Trump is due to appear in court this Tuesday. However, Lake’s comments suggest she is willing to take extreme measures to prevent authorities from bringing Trump to justice.
According to The Guardian, Lake stated:
“If you want to get to President Trump, you’re going to have to go through me, and you’re going to have to go through 75 million Americans just like me.
“And I’m going to tell you, most of us are card-carrying members of the NRA [National Rifle Association]. That’s not a threat – that’s a public service announcement.
“We will not let you lay a finger on President Trump. Frankly, now is the time to cling to our guns and our religion.”
Lake was speaking in place of Mike Pence, Trump’s vice-president who escaped the mob Trump sent to the Capitol on January 6, some of whom chanted about hanging him, to preside over certification of Biden’s election win.
Pence is now a candidate for the Republican nomination but like all others he trails Trump by large margins, as the former president ruthlessly capitalises on – and successfully monetises – the various charges against him.
Lake’s position highlights the deeply divisive political climate in the United States, where it seems increasingly difficult to find common ground and work together towards shared goals. In fact, her comments highlight the damage that can be done when people believe their political beliefs supersede basic democratic values and the rule of law.
It is imperative that political leaders from all sides of the political divide work to ensure that extremist voices are not allowed to reign unchecked. We need to find a way to bring all Americans together, away from the rhetoric of division and towards the common good. This can only be achieved by working together, listening, and engaging in respectful dialogue.
