As investigations bear down on former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Arizona and elsewhere, there’s infighting underway in Arizona’s MAGA movement.
Last week, a Republican who participated in Trump’s “fake elector” scheme was unmasked as the sole financier of an anti-Trump group — a political action committee that supports Ron DeSantis’ presidential bid.
Jim Lamon, who launched a failed U.S. Senate bid in Arizona last year, was outed by campaign finance expert Rob Pyers, who shared documents identifying Lamon as the lone backer of a super PAC that has aired multiple anti-Trump ads on conservative media.
Huh. The Actions Speak Louder Than Tweets PAC (@WinIn2024), which has been running digital ads hitting Donald Trump from the right, is being bankrolled by a single donor:
— Rob Pyers (@rpyers) July 19, 2023
2022 Republican #AZSen primary candidate & DEPCOM CEO Jim Lamon. https://t.co/tThCYtXHSU pic.twitter.com/a6zxyLQmsD
The group has slammed Trump for backing Mitt Romney’s election bids and for his previous support of “red flag” gun laws, which allow authorities to confiscate firearms from people deemed to be a danger to themselves or others. The name of the PAC — Actions Speak Louder Than Tweets — even appears to be a jab at the former president’s social media obsession.
Lamon is one of several Arizonans who signed his name to false documents that were aimed at handing Arizona’s 2020 Electoral College votes to Trump despite Joe Biden’s victory in the state. Special counsel Jack Smith has reportedly homed in on the Arizona scheme as part of his sprawling investigation into Trump’s efforts to retain power. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is investigating the scheme as well.
After it was revealed that Lamon was behind the anti-Trump PAC, he has faced criticism from Trump-loving conservatives — including fellow failed candidate Kari Lake, the GOP nominee for governor in Arizona last year.
This is really unfortunate.
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) July 20, 2023
I know Arizona and Arizona LOVES President Trump because he fights for We the People.
I hate to see that @jim_lamon is behind this.
Hopefully the @AZGOP and @JeffDeWitAZ will denounce this behavior and distance themselves from this and get behind… https://t.co/SNPXXguZEe
Lamon responded to Lake in a tweet of his own, doubling down on the anti-Trump ads and endorsing DeSantis.
Kari: What is to denounce? These are Trump’s own words. He did support red flag laws. He did support Romney over true conservatives. I spent millions supporting conservatives (incl. you) & 6 figures supporting Trump. He was much better than Hillary and Biden & I'm glad he won. 1/ pic.twitter.com/94QoJN6V2i
— Jim Lamon (@jim_lamon) July 20, 2023
It’s not exactly a surprise that Lamon has warmed up to DeSantis — the Arizonan was one of several former Trump supporters who reportedly showed up at a pro-DeSantis retreat in February. But the timing does seem quite opportune.
Lamon wedded himself to Trump by serving as one of his “fake electors.” Now, as the investigation into that activity heats up, he’s making it known that his true loyalty lies elsewhere.
Can’t imagine that’s going over well at Mar-a-Lago.
Ja’han Jones is an MS NOW opinion blogger. He previously wrote The ReidOut Blog.