AOC slams Ted Cruz as a liar with blood on his hands for fundraising during the MAGA riot as he tried to overturn Joe Biden's victory - after he claimed he was 'just doing his job'
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez upped the Twitter feud with Ted Cruz on Thursday evening by calling him out for pleading for money in a fundraising text sent after protesters descended on the Capitol Wednesday.
'@AOC You are a liar,' Cruz tweeted Thursday after she claimed he was responsible for inciting the pro-Trump mob to obstruct Congress certifying the election for Joe Biden.
'Oh - you're accusing me of lying? Isn't this you?' Ocasio-Cortez shot back. 'Your campaign sent out this fundraising message as people were sieging the Capitol. You claimed to be 'leading the fight to reject electors.'
'Clashes started around 1:20pm. This message was sent after the Capitol was breached,' she pointed out.
Ocasio-Cortez attached an image of a text message to her tweet with the message the Texas senator's team sent out on Wednesday.
'Ted Cruz here,' the text message to supporters begins. 'I'm leading the fight to reject electors from key states unless there is an emergency audit of the election results.'
It adds: 'Will you stand with me?' along with a link to donate to him.
Ocasio–Cortez, in her third tweet in her thread against Cruz, demanded in a straightforward post that he: 'Resign.'
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Thursday lashed out at Senator Ted Cruz for fundraising in the midst of rioters descending on the Capitol Wednesday
The Texas Republican told Ocasio-Cortez 'I ain't going anywhere' after she demanded he resign for challenging the Electoral College results after the Capitol was breached by thousands of pro-Trump protesters
Ocasio-Cortez shot back at Cruz for calling her a liar
She posted an image of the text from Cruz sent to supporters asking for money about an hour after lawmakers were escorted from their chambers and told to shelter in place
She also tweeted a demand he 'resign'
Senator Ted Cruz defended his decision to challenge the presidential election results on even after Congress was breached by thousands of protesters, claiming he was 'doing my job'
'Your complete refusal to acknowledge any of the above harm, wrongdoing, or even misjudgement; & your lack of any self-reflection in how these acts contributed to yesterday's chaos is alarming. It is unbecoming of any elected official and makes you unfit for the office you occupy,' she wrote in the thread.
The New York representative's demand for Cruz's resignation was a repeat after he said in an earlier tweet Thursday that he 'ain't going anywhere,' claiming he was 'doing his job' by objecting to the Electoral College results.
'Leading a debate in the Senate on ensuring election integrity is doing our jobs, and it's in no way responsible for the despicable terrorists who attacked the Capitol yesterday,' he posted.
'And sorry, I ain't going anywhere,' he continued in a two-part thread. 'When you and your socialist buddies try to massively raise taxes, when you try to pass the green new deal & destroy millions of jobs, when you push for amnesty, when you try to pack the Supreme Court w/ activists to undermine our Constitutional rights...I will fight that every step & stand with the People.'
'Sen. Cruz, you must accept responsibility for how your craven, self-serving actions contributed to the deaths of four people yesterday,' Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Twitter Thursday.
'Both you and Senator Hawley must resign,' the progressive representative demanded. 'If you do not, the Senate should move for your expulsion.'
In a 3:00 a.m. tweet Thursday morning, Cruz released a statement regarding the breach of the Capitol building hours earlier by thousands of protesters attempting to obstruct Congress from certifying the election for Joe Biden.
Cruz, by calling the New York's representative a liaw, was responding to AOC's tweet demanding that he accept responsibility for the riots
The back-and-forth started with Cruz posting a statement to Twitter overnight condemning the attack on the Capitol but refusing to join other Republicans who abandoned the effort to challenge the election in the midst of the chaos
Ocasio-Cortez also wants Senator Josh Hawley to step down. The Missouri Republican faced criticism after he was pictured appearing to stand in solidarity with protesters descending on Capitol Hill to disrupt the Congress certification
'The attack at the Capitol was a despicable act of terrorism and a shocking assault on our democratic system,' Cruz wrote in his statement. 'We must come together and put this anger and division behind us. We must, and I am confident we will, have a peaceful and orderly transition of power.'
His statement sparked outrage from Ocasio-Cortez considering he still chose, earlier, to formally challenge the Electoral College results in a few states he felt did not conduct their 2020 presidential elections fairly – mainly traditional red states that swung blue this year.
As pressure mounted on Cruz, and others who followed his lead to challenge the election Thursday, it emerged that shortly after the riots started, Cruz's team sent out a fundraising plea via text to cash in on his demand to overturn Biden's victory.
'I'm leading the fight to reject electors from key states unless there is an emergency audit of the election results,' the tweet from the Texas senator read.
It adds: 'Will you stand with me?' along with a link to donate to him.
Dozens of Republican lawmakers, including Cruz and fellow objector leader Senator Josh Hawley, are facing harsh condemnation after going forward with challenging the results following the unprecedented assault on the Capitol.
Throughout the certification process, which was delayed six hours due to pro-Trump protesters marching the halls, a total of eight senators and 139 House members objected to the Electoral College results in some states – including Arizona and Pennsylvania.
The eight senators who objected were Cruz, Hawley, Rick Scott, freshman Tommy Tuberville, Roger Marshall, John Kennedy and Cynthia Lummis and Cindy Hyde-Smith.
Initially, at least 15 GOP senators signaled in one way or the other they would object, including the eight above. The ones who changed their mind after the riots include Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Steve Daines of Montana, Mike Braun of Indiana, Kelly Loeffler of Georgia and both Tennessee Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty.
Among those congressmen and women who joined the effort include House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Representatives Matt Gaetz; Louie Gohmert; Paul Gosar; Jim Jordan; and just sworn-in Representatives Ronny Jackson, the former White House doctor to Trump; and Marjorie Taylor Greene, a QAnon conspiracy theorist. A full list is published below.
Democratic freshman Representative Cori Bush, a new progressive member of the 'squad,' is calling for the expulsion of these lawmakers and the others who she claims 'incited this domestic terror attack through their attempts to overturn the election.'
Bush, who was among lawmakers evacuated from the House Chamber Wednesday, is a member of the House Judiciary Committee, the chamber's investigative arm.
Cruz, Hawley and other pro-objection Republicans now facing the prospect of significant money problems after top business leaders in America held a secret meeting and discussed 'defunding' the Republican ultras.
Dozens of Republican lawmakers, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, are facing condemnation after objecting in the aftermath of the Capitol chaos Wednesday
Republican Senators John Kennedy of Louisiana , Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming and Rick Scott of Florida joined in objecting
Three other GOP senators – Roger Marshall of Kansas , freshman Tommy Tuberville of Alabama and Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi – also objected
The Wall Street Journal revealed that business leaders including claiming it's time they 'put their money where their mouths are' and stop funding the leaders of the campaign to reverse the election.
Big business funnels millions of dollars each year into Congress through donations from CEOs and corporate leaders, donations on behalf of the companies and organizing political action committees which funnel donations from employees.
Cutting off the money supply to Hawley, Cruz and others would leave them depending on small dollar donations - and also see them facing primary challengers with corporate backing.
'We have to create some level of cost,' Thomas Glocer, a former CEO of Thomson Reuters and a director at Merck and Morgan Stanley, told the Wall Street Journal after the meeting.
'Just coming out with another public letter isn't going to do much. Money is the key way,' the business leader - a Democratic donor - said.
Walt Disney Co. Executive Chairman Robert Iger, a Democrat, was among the business leaders on the call. Iger has expressed interest in being an ambassador in Biden's administration.
Lloyd Blankfein, senior chairman of Goldman Sachs Group Inc., was also on the call as well as Accenture PLC CEO Julie Sweet, a Republican who has donated to Cruz, and Merck & Co. CEO Ken Frazier, who donated to candidates from both parties in the past.
Anthony Scaramucci, who served for just 10 days as Trump's White House Communications Director but has more recently been a critic of the president, was on the call.
People familiar with the virtual meeting say the discussion began with a conversation about political instability.
Another group of nearly 200 CEOs sent a letter on Monday urging Congress to accept Joe Biden as president-elect.
And inside the Republican caucus, Hawley, Cruz and their followers also faced fury from other senators - with Tom Cotton, an ultra-conservative, suggesting they aided insurrection.
Objectors are now facing the wrath of even some of their own supporters, who claim the scene at the Capitol Wednesday should have been enough to deter them from the symbolic protest of the outcome of the election.
Republican Senator Tom Cotton, a Trump critic who never planned to challenge the results even before the Wednesday chaos, attacked his colleagues for going forward with the plan in another sign the GOP is splitting in the aftermath of the November 3 election.
'You felt that people should withdraw their objections?' Fox News host Steve Doocey asked Cotton on 'Fox & Friends' Thursday morning.
'Yes look, you have some Senators who for political advantage were giving false hope to their supporters misleading them into thinking that somehow yesterday's actions in Congress could reverse the results of the election or even get some kind of emergency audit of the election results,' the Arkansas senator explained.
'That was never going to happen,' Cotton continued. 'Yet, these Senators – as insurrectionists literally stormed the Capitol – we're sending out fundraising emails. That shouldn't have happened, it's got to stop now.'
Hawley, however, said during his remarks while objecting to Arizona's results, that his challenge is not just symbolic – claiming his goal is to voice his legitimate concerns with the election process in 2020, mainly the laws changed to accommodate for a more lax mail-in voting system without, in some cases, state legislature approval.
The Missouri Republican came under fire after he was pictured appearing to stand in solidarity with the Trump protesters Wednesday by pumping his fist in the air in their direction as the mob descended on Capitol Hill.
Challenges to state outcomes were only deliberated if at least one Senator and one representative objected to the results.
Sen. Tim Scott stops to look at damage in the early morning hours of Thursday after protesters stormed the Capitol on Wednesday
Members of the office of the Architect of the US Capitol are seen checking for damage in the Rotunda in Washington the morning after Trump supporters wreaked havoc
Shattered reinforced glass and debris litter are seen on the East steps in the US Capitol in the aftermath of Wednesday's riot
Thousands of Donald Trump's most fervent supporters descended on Capitol Hill Wednesday to protest the results of the presidential election and obstruct Congress from certifying Joe Biden's victory
While Representative Jody Hice of Georgia objected to the results in Georgia, no senator objected, including outgoing Senator Kelly Loeffler, who previously said she would challenge the results in her own state but changed her mind following the chaos at the Capitol.
Hice said Biden's win in the Peach State was tainted by 'an unprecedented amount of fraud and irregularities.' She did not provide any evidence for the claims.
Greene objected to Michigan's electoral votes, but no senator joined.
Representative Mo Brooks of Alabama, who can be credited with leading the last-ditch effort to overturn the election results, objected to Nevada's votes. Greene joined him in that challenge.
When Vice President Mike Pence, who presided over the proceedings, announced deliberations would not launch on Georgia, Michigan or Nevada's results, there were cheers from Democrats – and some Republicans.
Shortly before 4:00 a.m., Congress officially certified the Electoral College results for Joe Biden.
Also overnight, Trump finally claimed in a statement there would be a 'peaceful transition' of power. The message was released on Twitter through his adviser Dan Scavino after the president was locked out of his account for three tweets stoking protesters.
Among those facing criticism are House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senator Josh Hawley - McCarthy is seen addressing Congress Wednesday night as they reconvened in the House Chamber
Ted Cruz is among the lawmakers who are still pledging fealty to Donald Trump. Other lawmakers have called for his removal from office
On Wednesday afternoon, Trump spoke to thousands of his supporters gathered on the Ellipse to protest the outcome of the 2020 presidential election and Congress moving to certify the results.
After Trump left the stage, a large portion of those at the rally marched from there to Capitol Hill, where they stormed the steps of the building and were able to gain access.
For six hours protesters wandered the halls of Congress, banged on the House chamber doors, breached the doors of the Senate chamber, sat at the desks of lawmakers and their aides and wreaked havoc.
Four were killed, including a female Trump supporter who was shot in the chest.
When the Senate reconvened at 8 p.m., and the House of Representatives at 9:00 p.m. after the building was cleared and law enforcement continued throughout the night to push the perimeter of Capitol Hill further out.
THE REPUBLICANS SO LOYAL TO TRUMP THEY VOTED TO OVERTURN THE ELECTION - AFTER HIS MOB SMASHED UP THE CAPITOL
SENATORS
Ted Cruz – Texas
Josh Hawley – Missouri
Cindy Hyde-Smith – Mississippi
John Kennedy – Louisiana
Cynthia Lummis – Wyoming
Roger Marshall – Kansas
Rick Scott – Florida
Tommy Tuberville – Alabama
HOUSE
Robert B. Aderholt – Alabama
Rick Allen – Georgia
Jodey Arrington – Texas
Brian Babin – Texas
Jim Baird – Indiana
Jim Banks – Indiana
Jack Bergman – Michigan
Cliff Bentz – Oregon
Stephanie Bice – Oklahoma
Andy Biggs – Arizona
Dan Bishop – North Carolina
Lauren Boebert – Colorado
Mike Bost – Illinois
Ted Budd – North Carolina
Michael C. Burgess – Texas
Mo Brooks – Alabama
Tim Burchett – Tennessee
Ken Calvert – California
Kat Cammack – Florida
Jerry Carl - Alabama
Earl L. 'Buddy' Carter – Georgia
John R. Carter – Texas
Madison Cawthorn – North Carolina
Steve Chabot – Ohio
Ben Cline – Virginia
Michael Cloud – Texas
Andrew Clyde – Georgia
Tom Cole – Oklahoma
Rick Crawford – Arkansas
Warren Davidson – Ohio
Scott DesJarlais - Tennessee
Mario Diaz-Balart – Florida
Byron Donalds – Florida
Jeff Duncan – South Carolina
Neal Dunn – Florida
Ron Estes – Kansas
Pat Fallon – Texas
Michelle Fischbach – Minnesota
Scott Fitzgerald – Wisconsin
Chuck Fleischmann – Tennessee
Virginia Foxx – North Carolina
Russ Fulcher - Idaho
Scott Franklin – Florida
Matt Gaetz – Florida
Mike Garcia – California
Bob Gibbs – Ohio
Carlos Gimenez – Florida
Louie Gohmert – Texas
Bob Good – Virginia
Lance Gooden – Texas
Paul Gosar – Arizona
Garret Graves – Louisiana
Sam Graves – Missouri
Marjorie Taylor Greene – Georgia
Mark E. Green – Tennessee
Morgan Griffith – Virginia
Michael Guest – Mississippi
Jim Hagedorn – Minnesota
Andy Harris – Maryland
Diana Harshbarger – Tennessee
Vicky Hartzler – Missouri
Kevin Hern – Oklahoma
Jody Hice – Georgia
Clay Higgins – Louisiana
Yvette Herrell – New Mexico
Richard Hudson – North Carolina
Darrell Issa – California
Chris Jacobs – New York
Ronny Jackson – Texas
Bill Johnson – Ohio
Mike Johnson – Louisiana
Jim Jordan – Ohio
John Joyce – Pennsylvania
Fred Keller – Pennsylvania
Mike Kelly – Pennsylvania
Trent Kelly – Mississippi
David Kustoff – Tennessee
Doug LaMalfa – California
Brian Mast – Florida
Doug Lamborn – Colorado
Jacob LaTurner – Kansas
Debbie Lesko – Alabama
Billy Long – Missouri
Barry Loudermilk – Georgia
Frank Lucas – Oklahoma
Blaine Luetkemeyer – Missouri
Nicole Malliotakis – New York
Tracey Mann – Kansas
Kevin McCarthy – California
Lisa McClain – Michigan
Daniel Meuser – Pennsylvania
Carol Miller – West Virginia
Mary Miller – Illinois
Alexander Mooney – West Virginia
Barry Moore – Alabama
Markwayne Mullin – Oklahoma
Gregory Murphy – North Carolina
Troy Nehls – Texas
Ralph Norman – South Carolina
Devin Nunes – California
Jay Obernolte – California
Burgess Owens – Utah
Steven Palazzo – Mississippi
Gary Palmer – Alabama
Greg Pence – Indiana
Scott Perry – Pennsylvania
August Pfluger – Texas
Bill Posey – Florida
Guy Reschenthaler – Pennsylvania
Tom Rice – South Carolina
Harold Rogers – Kentucky
Mike Rogers – Alabama
John Rose – Tennessee
Matt Rosendale – Montana
David Rouzer – North Carolina
John Rutherford – Florida
Steve Scalise – Louisiana
David Schweikert – Arizona
Pete Sessions – Texas
Adrian Smith – Nebraska
Jason Smith – Missouri
Lloyd Smucker – Pennsylvania
Elise Stefanik – New York
Greg Steube – Florida
Chris Stewart – Utah
Glenn Thompson – Pennsylvania
Tom Tiffany – Wisconsin
William Timmons – South Carolina
Jeff Van Drew – New Jersey
Beth Van Duyne – Texas
Tim Walberg – Michigan
Jackie Walorski – Indiana
Randy Weber – Texas
Daniel Webster – Florida
Roger Williams – Texas
Joe Wilson – South Carolina
Robert Wittman – Virginia
Ron Wright – Texas
Lee Zeldin – New York