Ted Cruz: Corruption Charges Against Menendez May Be Politically Driven

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas talks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Dec. 12, 2104, as the Senate considers a spending bill. The House has passed an additional stopgap spending to make certain the governm... Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas talks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Dec. 12, 2104, as the Senate considers a spending bill. The House has passed an additional stopgap spending to make certain the government doesn't shut down at midnight Saturday when current funding authority runs out. The move would give the Senate additional time to process a $1.1 trillion government-wide spending bill. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke) MORE LESS
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Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) said Saturday in Iowa that federal corruption charges that are reportedly forthcoming against Sen. Bob Menendez may be politically motivated, linking them to the New Jersey Democrat’s criticism of President Barack Obama on foreign policy.

As reported by The Guardian, the Texan and potential 2016 presidential candidate said it was “awfully coincidental” that the charges were reported on the same week that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to Congress to deliver a speech criticizing Obama’s attempt to strike a deal with Iran aimed at halting its nuclear program.

Echoing an unsubstantiated theory that quickly sprung up in conservative circles on Friday, Cruz called it a “troubling coincidence” and said it “raises suggestions to other Democrats if you dare part from [the] Obama White House that criminal prosecutions will be used potentially as a weapon against you as well.”

Menendez said Friday he has “always conducted myself appropriately and in accordance with the law,” adding: “I’m not going anywhere.”

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  1. If Ted Cruz is defending you, you are guilty.

  2. So why isn’t Canada Cruz being charged, if criticism of President Obama on foreign policy is all it takes?

  3. You beat me too it; I was just going to post the same thing.

  4. Charges “may” be politically driven? May? Anything that that doesn’t violate the laws of physics “may” be true, but it’s customary to provide actual evidence before making such statements.

  5. The idea that Obama would punish a Democrat who disagrees with him on a few issues so that Chris Christie can appoint a Republican who will disagree with Obama on every issue is so absurd that I doubt even Louis Gohmert actually believes it, let alone Cruz.

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