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Tag: ted cruz
Ted Cruz

Ted Cruz And Rick Scott Back House Extremists On Government Shutdown

Much of the federal government could shut down on October 1, with far-right members of the House Republican majority unable to come to an agreement on federal funding for the upcoming fiscal year. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Rick Scott (R-FL) have been cheering those extremists on.

The House has approved just one of the 12 must-pass appropriations bills needed to keep the government operational each year. Although President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) reached an agreement in May, members of the archconservative House Freedom Caucus have refused to allow votes on legislation to fund the government at those levels or on a short-term extension of last year’s spending levels.

After narrowly winning their 2018 reelection races, Cruz and Scott are the most vulnerable Republican Senate incumbents on the ballot in 2024, according to the Cook Political Report. Both sided with the far-right House GOP faction against a bipartisan spending deal.

“Thank God for the @freedomcaucus and all they are doing to ensure Washington does its job and reins in Democrats’ reckless spending,” Scott tweeted on Sept. 12. “Since 2019, the population is up 1.8%, but budgets have grown by 55%. It makes no sense, drives inflation & must be stopped.”

During an appearance at a Freedom Caucus press conference on the same day, he said: “I thank God for what the Freedom Caucus is doing in the House. If they don’t stand up, nobody’s standing up. They stood up on the debt ceiling, and they fought for a great bill. Unfortunately, it didn’t end up that way, but they fought for a great bill. We’ve got to stop this insanity.”

Cruz praised Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy, the Freedom Caucus policy chair and Cruz’s own former chief of staff, for fighting against a compromise.

He told Spectrum News on Monday:

“What Chip is arguing for is that Republicans, who were just given a majority in the House, ought to stand up and fight for the priorities that the people elected them to fight for. I think that’s exactly right.”

“Washington often presents a false choice that either … you have to completely concede to the massive spending, the unprecedented debt that is fueling inflation that is hurting Texans across the state, you either have to completely roll over to the Democrats, or the alternative is a shutdown,” Cruz said, according to Spectrum News. “I don’t think we should have a shutdown.”

While a shutdown would not stop the federal government from carrying out some essential functions, it would have to cease most operations, and federal workers would not get paid.

This would mean older Americans would be unable to file new Social Security claims, that lower-income citizens would be unable to access food aid through the Women, Infants and Children nutrition program, veterans would not be able to get services, and food safety inspections would grind to a halt. Recent shutdowns have reduced the nation’s gross domestic product by billions of dollars.

While the House Republicans have been unable to agree on a path forward, Democrats and Republicans in the Senate have joined together to offer bipartisan appropriations bills.

On September 14, the Senate voted 91-7 to begin debate on a three bill “minibus” package to fund the Departments of Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, as well as the Food and Drug Administration and military construction, for the next fiscal year. Cruz and Scott both voted against the proposal.

Reprinted with permission from American Independent.

Mark Gonzalez

Tough Texas Prosecutor Announces Senate Bid To Unseat Ted Cruz (VIDEO)

In a YouTube video published early Tuesday morning, Nueces County, Texas District Attorney Mark Gonzalez announced his bid for United States Senate. Hours later, he resigned from his position as district attorney, KRIS 6 News reports.

"I was such a threat, they tried to remove me from office," he says in the video, referring to state Republicans' "efforts to remove him from his elected office."

That's what inspired his 2024 senate run against Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), according to The New York Times.

"Texans deserve a leader as tough as they are, willing to fight for justice, even on the really cold and dark days because that's when it matters the most," Gonzales says in the video. "That's why I'm running against Ted Cruz, because the little guy needs someone to stand up for them."

Described earlier this month by the Times as "a former criminal defense attorney with tattoos across his body, including one reading 'Not Guilty,' whose name appeared in a Texas state police database of registered gang members," the publication notes that in the video "Gonzalez took the unusual step of emphasizing an element of his background that many candidates might have sidestepped: a drunk-driving arrest when he was 19."

According to Tuesday's report, "In the resignation letter, he said he had taken responsibility and pleaded guilty, then been dismayed to see the same charges dismissed for a defendant who, unlike Mr. Gonzalez, could afford a lawyer."

He said, "It dawned on me that the wealthy and well-connected have a different criminal legal system applied to them and accusations against them than everyone else does. My ignorance of the system was detrimental to my life and has been to so many others just like me."

Gonzales notes that before Texas GOP lawmakers criticized the way he did his job as district attorney, "I hadn't really had any more taste or want for politics. With the petition and some of the stuff that's been going on at least statewide, it just kind of — I don't know if the word is just angered me or incited me or something — and so I just decided that I don't want to represent or try to represent just Nueces County. I want to represent Texans that want change."

Watch the video below or at this link.

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

James Comer

With No Evidence, Comer Says Biden 'Sold Access To Enemies For Decades' (VIDEO)

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) baselessly accused President Joe Biden of what could be considered treason while discussing Hunter Biden on Friday's edition of Senator Ted Cruz's (R-TX) Verdict podcast.

"I think that Joe Biden has been selling access to our enemies for decades," Comer alleged. "I think that..."

Cruz interrupted, "So long before Hunter was involved?"

Comer confirmed, "Long before."

Cruz followed up.

"So let me stop you on that," Cruz said. "You said he is been selling access to our enemies for decades. That — that on the face of it is an extraordinary statement. What's your basis for that?" he asked Comer.

"Basis is, you know, if you study Joe Biden, like I have, he's always been cash-strapped. He's never had a successful career in investing or anything like that," Comer asserted.

"Then you look at the assets he's accumulated on a Senate salary, it's pretty impressive. And you look at the upkeep to those assets. I, I believe that. If we, you know..." Comer continued.

Cruz quipped, "So you're saying a classic Corvette doesn't buy itself?"

Comer replied, "No."

Watch below via The Recount or at this link.

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

Ken Paxton

Why Divisions Over Paxton Impeachment Are Roiling Texas GOP

Far-right Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been an incredibly polarizing figure in Lone Star politics — even among fellow Republicans. And his impeachment has brought those divisions to the forefront.

The Texas House of Representatives recently voted, 121-23, to indict Paxton on 20 articles of impeachment. And an impeachment trial in the Texas State Senate is forthcoming.

The impeachment cannot be honestly described as an act of partisanship, as Republicans control the Texas State Legislature. Paxton has been angrily railing against Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, a conservative Republican who pushed for the impeachment. And Phelan hasn't been shy about slamming Paxton as a liability for the Texas GOP.

It remains to be seen how Texas Senate Republicans will vote in Paxton's impeachment trial. Texas-based reporter and author James Moore, in an article published by CNN's website on May 30, argues that the trial's outcome could have a long-lasting effect not only on Texas Republicans, but on Republicans in general.

Moore, who has been reporting on Texas politics since 1975, explains, "The impeachment of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over allegations of corruption, bribery and obstruction of justice has political experts contemplating whether things are coming undone for the state's Republican Party and its control of government. The answer is no — at least not yet. The Texas GOP has decided to dump an officeholder who appears to have gone a bit too far and embarrassed the party to the point of becoming a political liability."

The Texan adds, "The challenge for Republicans will be how to remove him from office without harming the party or its members. And that won't be easy."

Paxton's impeachment is a hot topic far from Texas. Former President Donald Trump has been attacking Paxton's GOP foes as fake Republicans, while more traditional conservatives believe he is damaging the GOP in a state that is a must-win for them in presidential elections.

For decades, Democrats have fantasized about turning Texas blue. Texas' 2018 U.S. Senate race was a hopeful sign; Democratic former Rep. Beto O'Rourke narrowly lost to incumbent GOP Sen. Ted Cruz. But when O'Rourke ran for governor in 2022, he lost to Republican Gov. Greg Abbott by 11 percent.

Texas' large urban centers lean Democratic, but thanks to a long list of rural counties, Texas remains a red state.

"If Paxton manages to survive his Senate trial," Moore observes, "he might seriously wound Texas Republicans' political strength — and that could have national repercussions into 2024. If enough Texans shun the Republican Party, the state — long an essential part of the GOP electoral strategy — could potentially flip in the other direction, dooming the party's presidential prospects."

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.