In a disturbing turn of events, an Arizona GOP official is under fire for making a threatening statement towards Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer. The official, Shelby Busch, was caught on video saying she would "lynch" Richer, prompting condemnation from the Jewish community.

The viral video portrays Busch, a prominent figure within the Maricopa County GOP, issuing the alarming threat against Richer. This is not the first instance where Richer has faced threats and verbal insults from within his own party. Over the past two years, he has received numerous death threats in connection with the previous election.

Since the 2022 election, several individuals have either been sentenced or indicted for their threatening actions towards Richer, the county's top election official. In response, Richer emphasizes that such language has no place in politics or any discourse, stating, "If lynching is in your vocabulary, you need to have a heart-to-heart with yourself."

Attempts to reach out to the state GOP for comment have been unsuccessful thus far. Richer, who has faced consistent harassment from his own party, announced that he will not be voting for Donald Trump this year. The former president has accused Richer of wrongdoing and perpetuated baseless claims of election fraud.

Richer's remarks came after the final debate before early voting begins next week. In contrast to his opponents, Justin Heap, a current state lawmaker, and Don Hiatt, an information technology management expert, Richer firmly stated that the 2020 and 2022 elections were not stolen.

Responding to the request for comment from Arizona's Family, Busch referred to the statement as a "joke" made in jest. She added that she does not endorse or support violence against anyone. However, the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix expressed their deep concern over these hateful comments directed at Richer, who is Jewish. They call upon Busch to retract her statement and issue an apology, while urging the Maricopa County Republican Party to denounce such rhetoric.

While this incident highlights the internal tensions within the Arizona GOP, it is crucial to note that no election operations have been impacted by the recent arrest of a 27-year-old temporary worker. The worker stands accused of stealing a digital security key from the county's election facility, according to Maricopa County Sheriff Russ Skinner and County Supervisor Bill Gates.

The case of threats and verbal abuse against Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer underscores the need for civil and respectful political discourse. It serves as a potent reminder that such language has no place in our democracy, and efforts must be made to challenge and eliminate this type of harmful rhetoric.