For Immediate Release
Wednesday, Nov. 1st, 2022
Contact: Josselyn Berry, Jberry@azdem.org
Outrage Flows After Kari Lake Tastelessly Jokes About Attack on Nancy Pelosi’s Husband
Lake Whines That She’s the Real Victim
PHOENIX—The reactions are pouring in after Kari Lake mocked the attempted violent kidnapping on Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and the vicious attack on her husband that has left him in an ICU. Lake got a big laugh from the crowd after joking about Speaker Pelosi’s husband Paul being violently assaulted saying, “Nancy Pelosi, well, she’s got protection when she’s in D.C. — apparently her house doesn’t have a lot of protection,” Lake said.
After numerous journalists and others condemned Lake’s classless joke, Lake went on Tucker Carlson to whine about how she’s actually a victim. “I’m being attacked by the media,” Lake whined. “I’m speaking the truth…We can’t talk about all these issues because the media has told us they’re prohibited.”
On Friday, federal officials warned that domestic violence extremists pose a heightened threat to the 2022 midterm elections. Lake has repeatedly trivialized political violence and refused to condemn political violence. She warned there would be “hell to pay” if “they steal” the election and she issued a debate challenge with “Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are, Katie,” in what echoed a mockery of the chant from armed protestors saying “Katie Come Out And Play.” After Lake attacked ASU and PBS for interviewing Katie Hobbs, the Dean of ASU’s Cronkite School urged faculty and students to stay home over security concerns, and CNN journalist Kyung Lah reported a rash of death threats and racial slurs coming in from apparent Lake supporters.
“Kari Lake’s cavalier attitude towards the violent political attacks against Speaker Pelosi and her husband says all you need to know about Lake. An 82-year-old nearly getting beaten to death with a hammer is nothing but a punchline to her. Arizona deserves better than a governor who encourages and mocks these sort of violent attacks,” said Josselyn Berry, spokesperson for the Arizona Democratic Party.
Read Reactions to Lake’s Tasteless Joke:
- Arizona Republic Opinion— “Kari Lake and Wendy Rogers mocking the attack on Paul Pelosi is classless. And on brand.”
- Washington Post— “Kari Lake, the Republican nominee for Arizona governor, appeared on Fox News on Monday night with a familiar complaint: The media was trying to silence her, she told host Tucker Carlson, this time for joking about the violent attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.”
- The Guardian— “Republican and rightwing responses to the attack – many seeking to advance the GOP’s law-and-order midterm elections message – have drawn controversy. Democrats and media observers have warned of the danger of stoking politically inspired violence.”
- MSNBC— “[Lake] normalized political violence by making a joke about the attack on the Pelosi household rather than condemning it, with the poise of a late-night talk show host.”
- Veteran journalist, Justin Glawe— “Not sure how you describe a political party that A. Threatens violence if they don’t get their way B. Carries it out in an attempt to overturn an election and C. Laughs about political violence against their opponents.”
- Former Chicago Tribune editor, Mark Jacob–“Fascists like Kari Lake think violence is funny. No decent person votes for MAGA Republicans.”
- Editor-in-Chief of Mother Jones Clara Jeffrey– “Nothing like a 82 yo being beaten with a hammer to get the crowd at a Kari Lake event in a good mood.”