Ted Cruz: Lawbreaker Or Not?

Ted Cruz, the junior United States senator from Texas, has been involved in several controversies that have led people to question whether he broke the law. In 2016, Cruz and his wife took out nearly $1 million in low-interest loans from banks including Goldman Sachs, where his wife worked, and failed to report them on Federal Election Commission disclosure statements as required by law. Cruz called this an inadvertent mistake.

In 2021, Cruz travelled to Cancún, Mexico, during a winter storm that left millions of Texans without power and drinking water. Cruz was criticised by both Democrats and Republicans for leaving his state during a crisis. Cruz later said that the trip was obviously a mistake.

Cruz has also been criticised for his role in the 2013 government shutdown, his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, and for spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ted Cruz's trip to Cancún during the Texas winter storm crisis

In February 2021, during a historic winter storm, up to 4.3 million Texans were left without power and millions of others without drinking water, including Ted Cruz and his family. Cruz and his family were spotted at an airport en route to Cancún, Mexico, where they planned to stay at the luxury Ritz Carlton hotel. Cruz had requested that the Houston police escort him and his family through the airport.

Cruz initially stated that he was taking his daughters on a week-long vacation from school at their request, in an attempt to be a "good dad". However, he returned to Texas the following day, leaving his family in Mexico, and acknowledged that the vacation had been a mistake.

Cruz's trip to Cancún during the Texas winter storm crisis sparked backlash from both Democrats and Republicans. Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa called on Cruz to resign, stating: "Ted Cruz jetting off to Mexico while Texans remain dying in the cold isn't surprising but it is deeply disturbing and disappointing... Now, he is proving to be an enemy to our state by abandoning us in our greatest time of need."

U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who had previously called for Cruz's resignation over his role in attempting to block the certification of the 2020 presidential election, also criticised Cruz, tweeting: "If Sen. Cruz had resigned back in January after helping gin up a violent insurrection that killed several people, he could’ve taken his vacation in peace. Texans should continue to demand his resignation."

Ted Cruz's role in the 2020 US Capitol insurrection

On January 6, 2021, Ted Cruz objected to the certification of Arizona's electoral votes, citing concerns about how many Americans believed fraud had occurred during the 2020 election. He also said that 39% of Americans believed the election was rigged, but that he was "not arguing for setting aside the result of this election".

Congress's counting of the Electoral College votes was interrupted by an insurrectionist mob that stormed the United States Capitol. The attack resulted in the deaths of five people, including a police officer.

Cruz was among several Texas Republicans who tried to cast doubt on President Joe Biden's victory over Donald Trump, who continued to peddle baseless claims of widespread voter fraud.

Cruz voted to object to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's electoral votes. The Senate rejected these objections by 93-6 and 92-7, respectively.

The Texas Democratic Party called on Cruz to resign, saying that his efforts to block Biden's lawful victory empowered the Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol. The Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News also called for Cruz to resign or be expelled from the Senate.

Cruz later backtracked on calling the event a "violent terrorist attack", saying that he was referring only to the rioters who attacked police. He also said that he was not calling the "millions of patriots" who supported Trump terrorists.

On the eve of the first anniversary of the attack, Cruz was recorded on video calling it a "violent terrorist attack", which drew sharp criticism from Fox News host Tucker Carlson. Cruz appeared on Carlson's show the next night to apologise for his comment as "frankly dumb" and "sloppy".

Despite his attempts to downplay the incident, Cruz was widely condemned by pro-Trump Republicans—especially Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene—for his comments.

Ted Cruz's stance on net neutrality

Ted Cruz, a Republican senator from Texas, is against net neutrality. He has argued that net neutrality is the “Obamacare for the internet”, and that it would result in “less broadband, less innovation, and less freedom for the American consumer”.

Cruz has also claimed that the internet economy has flourished in the US due to its lack of government regulation. He believes that net neutrality would reduce broadband and innovation and limit freedom for consumers.

Cruz mocked supporters of net neutrality as "snowflakes" who were misled by "online propaganda" when the Republican-controlled Federal Communications Commission repealed net neutrality in 2017.

Ted Cruz's stance on abortion

Ted Cruz, a Republican senator from Texas, is known for his anti-abortion stance. He has consistently voted against pro-choice legislation and supported laws that restrict abortion access. He received an A+ rating on the 2023 Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America National Pro-Life Scorecard for his commitment to defending life in the Senate.

Cruz has advocated for legislation that supports life and voted against the Women's Health Protection Act of 2021, which would have allowed doctors to refuse medical treatment to infants who survived abortions. He also supported the Supreme Court's decision in the Dobbs case, calling it "a massive victory for life".

Additionally, Cruz has successfully defended Texas's Rider 8, which prohibits state funding for groups that provide abortions. He led the charge on behalf of 13 states to defend a federal law banning partial-birth abortion before the Supreme Court. He also co-led an amicus brief supporting Texas's decision to defund Planned Parenthood.

Cruz has also co-introduced the Support and Value Expectant (SAVE) Moms and Babies Act to strengthen federal control over chemical abortion drugs and co-authored an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to overrule Roe v. Wade and send the decision to the states.

Cruz's anti-abortion stance has been a consistent part of his political career, and he has actively lobbied and advocated for legislation that restricts abortion access and protects life.

Ted Cruz's stance on immigration

Ted Cruz, a Republican senator from Texas, has been described as a "hard-liner" on immigration issues. He is the son of a Cuban immigrant and has stated that he "celebrates legal immigration". However, he has also been a vocal opponent of immigration reform and amnesty for undocumented immigrants. He has called for securing the border, reforming the legal immigration system, and upholding the rule of law.

Cruz has criticised President Obama's immigration policies, arguing that they have encouraged drug smugglers, child abusers, murderers, and other criminals to traffic immigrant children into the US under dangerous conditions. He has also opposed the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which protects undocumented youth who were brought to the US as children from deportation. During his 2016 presidential campaign, Cruz told a DACA recipient that he would deport her because she was living in the country illegally.

In 2013, Cruz proposed amendments to the "Gang of 8" bill that would have strengthened border security, expanded green card opportunities, increased high-skilled "H1B" visas, prevented illegal aliens from receiving welfare benefits, and enforced the rule of law. He has also called for the use of E-Verify, an electronic program to verify the legal work status of employees. Additionally, Cruz has demanded an end to DACA as a prerequisite for any immigration legislation.

Cruz has taken a hardline stance during the 2014 border crisis and has stated his opposition to comprehensive immigration reform. He believes that amnesty for illegal immigration, such as that granted by Ronald Reagan in 1986, is wrong. He has also criticised the Obama administration's handling of the crisis, arguing that it resulted in a humanitarian crisis at the Southern Border.

In 2018, Cruz lashed out at his fellow Republican senators for considering renewing and expanding anti-deportation protections for Dreamers. He argued that such protections were a form of amnesty and that the federal government's failure to secure the border had led to an increase in the number of undocumented immigrants in the country. Cruz has consistently taken a tough stance on immigration, even when it has put him at odds with members of his own party.

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