McConnell: Senate Won’t Weigh In On Cruz’s Birther Debacle

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., speaks with reporters after the Senate gave sweeping approval to a year-end budget package that boosts federal agency spending and awards tax cuts to both families and a... Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., speaks with reporters after the Senate gave sweeping approval to a year-end budget package that boosts federal agency spending and awards tax cuts to both families and an array of business interests, at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Dec. 18, 2015. President Obama will sign the measure, which includes many of the spending increases he fought for all year and is largely free of GOP attempts to block his moves on the environment, financial regulation, and consumer protection. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) MORE LESS
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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said the Senate will not weigh in on the constitutionality of Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-TX) presidential run during an interview with ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday.

“I don’t think the Senate ought to get in the middle of it,” McConnell told host George Stephanopoulous.

Cruz, who was born to a Cuban father and an American mother in Canada, has faced recent questions about his legal ability to run for President. The most vocal critic of the freshman senator’s eligibility comes from rival Donald Trump, who called the issue “a very precarious one for Republicans.” Since then Cruz has seen numerous politicians support his eligibility, including fellow presidential candidate Jeb Bush and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

In 2008, according to The Hill, the upper chamber issued a resolution asserting the eligibility of then-Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who was born to American parents at a military base in Panama.

When pressed about the 2008 edict, McConnell remained steadfast.

“I just don’t think the Senate ought to get into the middle of this,” he said. “These guys are all slugging it out in Iowa and New Hampshire. We’ll have a nominee hopefully by sometime in the spring.”

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  1. Gosh, I wonder why…something to do with his skin color? Naaaaaaaaaaaaaah…

  2. I’m fine with the Senate not bothering with this. I wonder if it would stay just as far out of the fray if this was a story about Hillary Clinton.

  3. Since then Cruz has seen numerous lawmakers support his eligibility, including fellow presidential candidate Jeb Bush and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

    Bush and Romney are lawmakers?

  4. Don’t want to see a bloody fistfight right there on the Senate floor, eh, McConnell?

  5. Avatar for jinnj jinnj says:

    TRANSLATION - “Dear colleague Cruz … I could possibly try to smooth this out … but in light of the total pain-in-the-ass that you have been … pass”

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