Rubio Hits Cruz For ‘The Weakening Of Our Intelligence Gathering’

UNITED STATES - NOVEMBER 16 - Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks at the 2015 Wall Street Journal CEO Council at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington on Monday, November 16, 2015. Rubio was participating in a discussion... UNITED STATES - NOVEMBER 16 - Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks at the 2015 Wall Street Journal CEO Council at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington on Monday, November 16, 2015. Rubio was participating in a discussion with Gerard Baker, Editor in Chief of The Wall Street Journal. (Photo By Al Drago/CQ Roll Call) (CQ Roll Call via AP Images) MORE LESS
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Days after the terrorist attacks in Paris, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) criticized Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) for voting to “weaken the U.S. intelligence programs.” The swipe comes after the two 2016 contenders had been engaged in squabble over immigration.

“At least two of my colleagues in the Senate aspiring to the presidency, Senator Cruz in particular, have voted to weaken the U.S. intelligence programs just in the last month and a half,” Rubio said, speaking at the Wall Street Journal CEO Council in Washington, Monday. “And the weakening of our intelligence gathering capabilities leaves America vulnerable. And that is exactly what’s happened.”

Rubio was referring to Cruz’s vote in June for the USA Freedom Act, which imposed reforms on some of the government’s mass surveillance programs. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), another candidate for the GOP presidential nom, filibustered the reform bill in order to protest the larger Patriot Act, causing it to briefly expire. His efforts were thwarted when the Senate passed USA Freedom Act and most of the surveillance programs were allowed to continue.

Cruz’s supporters rushed to defend the Texas senator from claims that he was weak on national security, pointing to the other Republicans who voted in favor of USA Freedom Act.

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