Arizona Dem Accuses Kari Lake of Fabricating Election Lies, False Claims in House Hearing

During a June 25 congressional hearing, Kari Lake, President Donald Trump's senior adviser at the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), faced sharp criticism from Arizona Democrat Rep. Greg Stanton for her history of spreading false election claims after losing the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial race. Stanton accused Lake of repeatedly lying about her election results and undermining democracy, calling her an "adjudicated liar" who embarrasses the state and damages America's credibility abroad. In response, Lake deflected by falsely alleging that Stanton had been the subject of rumors about having a gay lover, a claim with no evidence that led to calls from Democrats to strike her remarks from the record. Lake argued that such falsehoods could be broadcast on Voice of America, a USAGM outlet, without recourse, highlighting concerns about editorial control under her leadership. The heated exchange underscored the ongoing tensions over Trump's overhaul of USAGM and the broader debate about truth, misinformation, and media integrity in U.S. international broadcasting. Throughout, Lake maintained a combative stance, refusing to concede her electoral defeats while defending her actions at USAGM.