Senator Ted Cruz demonstrated a staggering lack of self-awareness during an interview with Fox News on Tuesday.
Cruz blasted Democratic lawmakers for leaving the state to block a move by state Republicans to force a vote on restrictive new election policies. They left the state to prevent Republicans from obtaining the quorum necessary to hold the vote.
Cruz, who himself flew to Cancun earlier this year while many of his constituents were without power and struggling not to freeze, ripped into the lawmakers for leaving the state.
Cruz commented that it was "ironic" that they were:
"[...] getting on their private jet to fly to Washington, D.C., [...] almost surely had to show identification to get on that jet."
The Texas Democrats who have pulled this political stunt by flying to Washington, D.C. almost surely had to show ID… https://t.co/ZDHmRyGxeQ— Ted Cruz (@Ted Cruz) 1626185807.0
Twitter users didn't take long to start pointing out the hypocrisy.
Ted Cruz on Texas Democrats: "It's ironic. As they were getting on their private jet to fly to Washington DC, they… https://t.co/kIzObBUmwq— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1626183538.0
@Jay_USMC2 https://t.co/6oSR4r3QEu— Trust Science - Trust Facts (@Trust Science - Trust Facts) 1626266910.0
@Jay_USMC2 @ResisterSis20 Ted would never leave Texas in a panic, abandon the family dog and then blame it all on his kids, would he?— Michael Joseph (@Michael Joseph) 1626263987.0
Several people, including Texas Democrat Julián Castro, pointedly reminded Cruz that there is a difference between leaving to block harmful legislation and leaving for a vacation during an emergency.
Texas Democrats left the state to fight for voting rights. Ted Cruz left the state to sip drinks on a Cancun beach… https://t.co/ZAydvMs7zK— Julián Castro (@Julián Castro) 1626184670.0
Says the guy who fled to Cancun while Texans were freezing to death. Man, these folks have ZERO shame or self-aware… https://t.co/9FVRQgInpS— Chris Kocher (@Chris Kocher) 1626186793.0
The proposed legislation that caused 51 Democratic lawmakers to take such drastic steps to stop it would implement very restrictive voter ID laws, among other attempts to restrict ability to vote. Those Dems may have to stay outside of the state, most flew to Washington D.C., for several weeks as they await the end of the special legislative session.
Like many similar bills introduced throughout the country this year, it is predicated upon the false idea that widespread voter fraud is a real thing that happens in the US.