Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas is once again getting roasted by the internet for an ill-advised tweet attempting to slam Democrats for "brazen gaslighting."
Since the historic uprising against racist police brutality last summer, Cruz and his fellow Republicans have decried Democrats for supposedly seeking to defund the police.
In reality, President Joe Biden's plan—with opposition from some progressives—increased resources for police departments. The American Rescue Plan, the most recent pandemic stimulus package that passed with no Republican support, allocated for $350 billion in stimulus funding for police forces to address a rise in violent crime.
In recent comments to Fox News' Peter Doocy during a daily press briefing, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki noted these funds while also emphasizing the bill didn't get a single Republican vote in the House or the Senate.
Watch below.
Jen Psaki takes a Peter Doocy question and uses it to drill Republicans on voting against funding for the police.pic.twitter.com/dHlQysinZO— Sarah Reese Jones (@Sarah Reese Jones) 1624912612
Psaki said:
"The President did mention that the American Rescue Plan, the state and local funding ... could help ensure local cops were kept on the beat in communities across the country. As you know, didn't receive a single Republican vote. That funding has been used to keep cops on the beat."
Psaki's suggestion enraged conservatives, including Cruz, who attempted to skewer the answer on Twitter.
Brazen gaslighting.https://twitter.com/CurtisHouck/status/1409557396729614344\u00a0\u2026— Ted Cruz (@Ted Cruz) 1624909538
Cruz not only voted against the American Rescue Plan, but amplified former President Donald Trump's lies about the 2020 election—and even voted to throw out the valid electoral votes of swing states Trump lost. This was before Cruz flew to Cancún, Mexico as his state suffered devastating winter storms. Cruz claimed he was just escorting his family to the sunny getaway.
The Senator's comments come as his party continues to dismiss the severity of the Capitol Riots on January 6, and opposing a commission to investigate the riots, despite pressure from the families of fallen Capitol police officers.
People were quick to bring these receipts to Cruz's attention.
Didn't you support the Big Lie?https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1409598886109405193\u00a0\u2026— Machine Pun Kelly (@Machine Pun Kelly) 1624980005
I\u2019ll take \u201cThings I\u2019ll tweet to avoid talking about my vote against helping the American people\u201d for $1000.https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1409598886109405193\u00a0\u2026— David Weaver (@David Weaver) 1624910661
Gaslighting is pretending you voted to support the American Rescue Plan, which included $350 billion for local police, when in fact you did not. If you think law enforcement did not notice, think again.https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1409598886109405193\u00a0\u2026— JimM840 (@JimM840) 1624965001
Let\u2019s ask the Capital and DC police how Republicans support police Ted. @SenTedCruzhttps://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1409598886109405193\u00a0\u2026— \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8BIDEN/HARRIS \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8BIDEN/HARRIS \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1624918033
Raphael doesn't believe Republicans have been defunding the police. Look at how they treated Officer Brian Sicknick's mom and you know who's telling the truth.https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1409598886109405193\u00a0\u2026— \ud835\udd4b\ud835\udd60\ud835\udd5e \ud835\udd40\ud835\udd64 \ud835\udd3d\ud835\udd66\ud835\udd5d\ud835\udd5d\ud835\udd6a \ud835\udd4d\ud835\udd52\ud835\udd54\ud835\udd54\ud835\udd5a\ud835\udd5f\ud835\udd52\ud835\udd65\ud835\udd56\ud835\udd55! \ud83c\udf0a (@\ud835\udd4b\ud835\udd60\ud835\udd5e \ud835\udd40\ud835\udd64 \ud835\udd3d\ud835\udd66\ud835\udd5d\ud835\udd5d\ud835\udd6a \ud835\udd4d\ud835\udd52\ud835\udd54\ud835\udd54\ud835\udd5a\ud835\udd5f\ud835\udd52\ud835\udd65\ud835\udd56\ud835\udd55! \ud83c\udf0a) 1624920306
Gaslighting is pretending you just had to go to Cancun when there was a major state of emergency, then pretending you were always coming right back.https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1409598886109405193\u00a0\u2026— Beth Stevens (@Beth Stevens) 1624971639
Some doubted Cruz even knew what the term "gaslighting" meant.
pic.twitter.com/T3gmSSAJ7Z
— Mankrik's Wife (@Marty_Shannon) June 28, 2021
When the boomer learns a new word but doesn't understand ithttps://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1409598886109405193\u00a0\u2026— Sassy Politics (@Sassy Politics) 1624978252
Please learn what words meanhttps://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1409598886109405193\u00a0\u2026— alex \ud83e\udd1f\ud83d\ude0e\ud83d\udc4d (@alex \ud83e\udd1f\ud83d\ude0e\ud83d\udc4d) 1624926456
Cruz is one of a crowded pool of potential candidates for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.
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