On Thursday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) took issue with the statement issued by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) condemning the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol — noting that his statement takes no responsibility for his “craven, self-serving actions” and accusing him of fundraising off the riot.
Sen. Cruz, you must accept responsibility for how your craven, self-serving actions contributed to the deaths of four people yesterday. And how you fundraised off this riot.
Both you and Senator Hawley must resign. If you do not, the Senate should move for your expulsion. https://t.co/O2m6T59LYP
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 7, 2021
Cruz was quick to deny any such thing, calling her a “liar.”
1/2 @AOC You are a liar.
Leading a debate in the Senate on ensuring election integrity is doing our jobs, and it’s in no way responsible for the despicable terrorists who attacked the Capitol yesterday.
And sorry, I ain’t going anywhere. When you and your socialist buddies… https://t.co/UoKBOC8ZU7
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) January 7, 2021
2/2 …try to massively raise taxes, when you try to pass the green new deal & destroy millions of jobs, when you push for amnesty, when you try to pack the Supreme Court w/ activists to undermine our Constitutional rights…
I will fight that every step & stand with the People.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) January 7, 2021
However, Ocasio-Cortez immediately confronted him with a screenshot of a text message sent out by Cruz’s office boasting he was “leading the fight to reject electors” — over two hours after the Capitol was breached.
Oh – you’re accusing me of lying?
Isn’t this you? Your campaign sent out this fundraising message as people were sieging the Capitol. You claimed to be “leading the fight to reject electors.”
Clashes started around 1:20pm. This message was sent after the Capitol was breached. https://t.co/oAf16aHktc pic.twitter.com/qb56RxcfSy
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 7, 2021
Your complete refusal to acknowledge any of the above harm, wrongdoing, or even misjudgement; & your lack of any self-reflection in how these acts contributed to yesterday’s chaos is alarming. It is unbecoming of any elected official and makes you unfit for the office you occupy.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 7, 2021
1. Yes, my campaign sends out automated fundraising messages—as does your campaign & every other.
2. When the attack happened, w/in minutes I told my team to halt fundraising.
3. Your LIE is that debating an Election Commission in the Senate somehow supports terrorist violence.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) January 7, 2021
Cruz, for his part, maintains that this text message was scheduled ahead of time and he ordered his fundraising team to suspend operations later that day — however, at no point did he apologize for his office putting out a message that, even unintentionally, could embolden the perpetrators of an insurrection.
Resign.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 7, 2021
