Failed Arizona GOP gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake was widely mocked after she claimed former Republican President Donald Trump is outsmarting prosecutors investigating his role in the attack on the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021—the day a mob of his supporters attacked the nation's seat of government in a bid to overturn the 2020 election results.
Despite three new charges being added to the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case and an impending indictment in the January 6 case, Lake insisted Trump was outsmarting Special Counsel Jack Smith and prosecutors by "playing chess at the highest level."
In an interview with Newsmax, Lake praised Trump's ability to handle the legal challenges thrown his way. She argued that he had managed to turn every accusation against him in his favor, asserting that he was "right" in the face of all charges.
You can hear what Lake said in the video below.
Lake said:
"Every single thing they've thrown at him, he's turned it right back in their face, and he's proven to be right."
"They're wrong, they're just they're just trying to bring him down, and you can't bring down a giant like Donald J. Trump, and I'll be honest. I think he would welcome that indictment, he would welcome a trial."
"I think you said it would be the trial of the century."
"I don't think that when they thought of all of that, and maybe during those meetings with his attorney, the attorneys brought it up and said, do you really want this because it's going to come right back in your face."
Lake suggested Trump's alleged crimes pale in comparison to legal issues faced by President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, who has been a regular target of Republican diversions.
She went on to claim that the younger Biden—who is currently facing tax evasion charges—has faced no consequences while engaging in illicit activities like drug use, tax evasion, and potential involvement in selling state secrets to foreign countries, emphasizing Trump's ability to navigate legal challenges while maintaining public support.
She attributed this resilience to Trump's ability to play "chess at the highest level," while his opponents were stuck playing "checkers."
She said:
"They're playing checkers and President Trump is playing, you know, chess at the highest level, so I don't think they want to pick a fight with him."
"His numbers don't seem to be affected adversely by any—it's like he gets indicted for documents, he gets indicted for a private transaction with a former relationship, he gets indicted for, um, Jan. 6, and Hunter Biden is caught with prostitutes, caught smoking crack cocaine, driving 172 miles an hour, cheating on his taxes, may have sold state secrets to the Chinese and the Ukrainians, and they are going to let him walk out of court briefly for a moment there with nothing."
In Lake's view, Trump's adeptness at handling the situation has made him a formidable adversary, discouraging others from picking a fight with him.
Her comments exposed her to considerable mockery and criticism online.
Lake—a known election denier and conspiracy theorist—has continued to defend Trump, often making farfetched statements about the level of support he enjoys.
Last month, she was criticized after stating if prosecutors wanted to target the former President, they would have to go "through" her and the 75 million Americans who supported Trump and were members of the National Rifle Association (NRA).
She further inflated her claims during a subsequent interview with the White supremacist former Trump aide Steve Bannon by suggesting around 90 percent of the United States population, approximately 300 million people, would protest Trump's indictment for taking, hiding and lying about top-secret documents moved to Mar-a-Lago upon his leaving the White House.
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