Some of the final words heard in the Capitol building last Wednesday before insurgents took over were from Senator Ted Cruz of Texas. He used his time before the certification of the 2020 election to further peddle the conspiracy theory that it was stolen from President Trump.
His words rang out just an hour before an angry mob broke into the chamber. Luckily, Congress was able to flee the building just moments before the insurgents arrived.
“Recent polling shows that 39 percent of Americans believe the election that just occurred, quote, was rigged,” Cruz said. “You may not agree with that assessment. But it is nonetheless a reality for nearly half the country.”
“Even if you do not share that conviction, it is the responsibility, I believe, of this office to acknowledge that it is a profound threat to this country and to the legitimacy of any administrations that will come in the future,” he said.
The senator’s speech made no attempt to prove that widespread voter fraud occurred because it didn’t. He simply gave credence to those who believe the conspiracies.
Cruz played a key role in amplifying president Trump’s election charade that would eventually inspire the angry mob. But after the insurrection, he distanced himself from his actions saying, he was “in no way responsible” for the conspiracy-theory-fueled attack on the Capitol building.
Democratic representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York hit back after Cruz’s statement. On Twitter, she demanded that Cruz “accept responsibility for how your craven, self-serving actions contributed to the deaths of four people.” She also noted that he “fundraised off this riot.”
To which Cruz hit back calling her a “liar” and a socialist.
But, Ocasio-Cortex had receipts in the form of a text message Cruz sent to his followers shortly after the Capitol building rampage.
“Oh – you’re accusing me of lying?” Ocasio-Cortez responded. “Your campaign sent out this fundraising message as people were sieging the Capitol. You claimed to be ‘leading the fight to reject electors.’”
Here’s the full text he sent after the Capitol was breached.
“Ted Cruz here. I’m leading the fight to reject electors from key states unless there is an emergency audit of the election results. Will you stand with me?” The text ended with a link to donate money.
Ocasio-Cortez finished with the ultimate mic drop, “Resign.”
The question remains: will Ted Cruz face any consequences for the way he fanned the flames of insurgency and backed Donald Trump’s treasonous attempt to undermine American democracy?
In the Senate, expulsion and censure are the only two options. If the slow groundswell of Republican lawmakers condemning Trump for his actions on January 6 grows, Cruz may be swept up in the backlash.
