Shelby Busch, vice chair of the Maricopa County Republican Committee in Arizona, sparked controversy after a video surfaced showing her threatening to “lynch” Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer during a campaign event.
In the video, Busch stated, “If Stephen Richer walked into this room, I would lynch him.”
Her comments evoked applause from the crowd. She then went on to criticize Richer, saying: “I don’t unify with people who don’t believe in the principles we believe in and the American cause that founded this country,” Busch continued. “And so, I want to make that clear when we talk about what it means to unify.”
Richer, who shared the clip on social media platform X, criticized Busch’s remarks, questioning why she used such inflammatory language instead of more conventional expressions of disagreement.
Busch, named the Maricopa County Republican Party’s 2023 volunteer of the year and an advisor to GOP Senate candidate Kari Lake, made the comments at a March event supporting Republican Jerone Davison’s bid for a U.S. House seat. She emphasized the importance of unity based on shared principles, drawing applause from the audience.
Responding to the backlash, Richer expressed disappointment in the lack of condemnation from attendees at the event, urging for a return to civil discourse within the Republican Party.
In a statement to Politico, Richer underscored the troubling nature of Busch’s language, particularly given its historical weight, and called for a focus on substantive policy debates rather than personal threats.
“It’s unfortunate that this is the current political landscape. Her comments are deeply troubling, especially using the word ‘lynch,’ which carries so much historical weight and pain,” Richer said. “I look forward to returning to civil discourse and a Republican Party that debated issues like tax rates and government spending, not levy heinous threats against one another.”
The Anti-Defamation League and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix condemned Busch’s remarks, calling for a retraction and apology from her and the Maricopa County Republican Committee.
Arizona, a pivotal state in recent elections, has faced heightened tensions over election integrity, exacerbated by baseless claims of fraud. Busch is associated with the We the People AZ Alliance, a group challenging the legitimacy of the 2020 election results.
Watch the clip below:
"If Stephen Richer walked in this room, I would lynch him."
This is Shelby Busch.
She is second-in-command for the Maricopa County Republican Committee (@MaricopaGOP). She was the county party's 2023 "volunteer of the year." She's an advisor to Kari Lake and others.
She also… pic.twitter.com/L7lWTm3oSk
— Stephen Richer—MaricopaCountyRecorder (prsnl acct) (@stephen_richer) June 24, 2024
