Conservative pundit and convicted felon Dinesh D'Souza is one of the Republican party's most vocal defenders, especially since receiving a pardon from former President Donald Trump in 2018.
D'Souza's dedication to the party sometimes results in him going to absurd lengths to justify deplorable behavior. His most recent defense of Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) is no exception.
As hundreds of thousands of Cruz's constituents in Texas face power outages amid freezing temperatures, with no access to heat or sanitary water or hot meals, Cruz was spotted taking a flight to Cancun, Mexico, where the weather is a sunny 84 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cruz was met with widespread condemnation for leaving the state during an unprecedented crisis that has Texans cowering in their cars for warmth and walking miles down icy roads for needed supplies. Eventually, the Senator rebooked a flight to return to Texas on Thursday—two days earlier than planned.
D'Souza was one of the few people to defend Cruz, absurdly claiming that Cruz—a United States Senator—was helpless to assist his constituents amid the humanitarian crisis.
He went on to say that Senators are unable to do much more than vote on bills.
But as many pointed out, Senators are uniquely positioned to advocate for their constituents and secure assistance for them.
Former Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke—a Texan who lost a Senate bid to Cruz in 2018—is one example of that, using his following to get the word out about warming centers and other resources during the storm.
O'Rourke is also using his broad following to provide assistance to Texans.
D'Souza's stretch to defend Cruz was quickly rebuked.
People were certain D'Souza would be singing a different tune if Cruz had been a Democrat.
After the backlash, Cruz released a statement claiming his daughters asked to take a trip and he acquiesced, "wanting to be a good dad." He'll return to Texas on Thursday afternoon.
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