Christie Calls Out ‘Hypocritical’ Cruz For Refusing To Condemn Trump (VIDEO)

Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) on Monday lambasted Sen. Ted Cruz (R) for refusing to denounce comments made by fellow Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump about Mexican immigrants, calling the senator a hypocrite.

When asked on Sunday about Trump’s remarks, Cruz said that he would not “attack” Trump because he refused to engage in “Republican on Republican violence.”

“He has a colorful way of speaking. It’s not the way I speak. But I’m not gonna engage in the media’s game of throwing rocks and attacking other Republicans. I’m just not gonna do it,” Cruz said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

During a Monday appearance on Fox News, Christie said he wasn’t offended by Trump’s remarks, but said that the television star was “wrong.”

“I find it ironic that Ted Cruz is giving lectures on Republican-on-Republican violence. The guy who put together a group that was sponsoring primary ads against Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) is giving us — the rest of us lectures on Republican on Republican violence. With all due respect, I don’t need to be lectured by Ted Cruz,” Christie said.

“Let’s just not be hypocritical,” Christie later added. “Don’t lecture as to Donald Trump but then attack Lamar Alexander. All I want is a little consistency.”

A spokesman for Christie told The Hill that the governor was referring to the Senate Conservatives Fund, a group that has supported Tea Party candidates.

Rick Tyler, a spokesman for Cruz’s campaign, responded to Christie in a statement to The Hill.

“Governor Christie is a good man and we appreciate more than he knows his taking the time to point out Senator Cruz’s unceasing efforts to help get more conservatives elected to Congress,” he said.

Watch Christie’s interview via Fox News:

Latest Livewire
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: