Kari Lake got personal Wednesday during a congressional hearing with a fellow a Arizonan.

During an exchange with U.S. Representative Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.), Lake brought up reporting of past rumors of the former Phoenix Mayor having a gay lover as an example of what happens when media agencies do not have a check on their content.

Lake, the former failed U.S. Senate and gubernatorial candidate in Arizona, is presently serving as a senior advisor at the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) which oversees Voice of America, the official international broadcaster of the U.S.

Lake warned Stanton that without proper oversight of content, 'they could literally put out a lie about anybody here, and I know you've been the victim of that.'

'I remember the stories about you, where they said you had a gay lover,' Lake asserted.

Stanton responded by asking the committee chairman to scrub Lake's remark from the congressional record. 

Senior Advisor for the U.S. Agency for Global Media Kari Lake speaks during a House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing on June 25, 2025 in Washington, DC

Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024.

Lake, acknowledging the rumors about Stanton were 'lies,' said they could still be broadcast on VOA without repercussions.

'You couldn't pick up the phone, Representative Stanton, and call them and say 'hey, you're putting out lies about me' you would not be able to do that because they would sue you for breaking the firewall,' Lake charged. 'How would you like it if those lies were put on Voice of America right now?' Lake concluded.

Stanton undoubtedly found the remarks about his sexuality to be defamatory, as he has been married to his wife for 20 years, and the couple has two children together.

Stanton got under Lake's skin for highlighting her electoral defeats, particularly her 2022 gubernatorial defeat.

'You lost fair and square. Instead of conceding, you embarrassed yourself and our state by lying,' Stanton said, accusing Lake of playing 'toxic' politics. 'The American people cannot believe a word you say.' 

Trump nominated Lake, a former local TV anchor, to lead Voice of America, which counts an audience of 326 million and employs 48 different languages. Unable to receive rapid Senate confirmation, the president appointed her to an advisory staff role. 

The Trump administration, with Lake's help, have unleashed extensive cuts at VOA and USAGM, all but shuttering operations. 

One of Lake's early moves as a USAGM employee was to oversee significant restructuring at the agency, drastically reducing its workforce by 85%.

Those cuts were rejected by VOA's CEO Michael Abramowitz, who filed a federal lawsuit to stop them. But the Trump administration appealed, allowing the cuts to remain in effect for the time being.