Ted Cruz accused of abetting sedition and inspiring pro-Trump riot by resisting Biden’s victory

Updated at 2 a.m. Thursday with new Cruz statement

WASHINGTON — Although it was clear that President Donald Trump inspired the insurrection at the Capitol on Wednesday, Democrats pinned some of the blame on Sen. Ted Cruz, too, accusing him of promoting sedition and lawlessness by promoting Trump’s lies about election fraud.

Cruz had been careful not to directly echo any of Trump’s more fanciful and baseless claims about ballot manipulation and cheating.

But he did emerge as one of the two most ardent Senate advocates for blocking Congress from affirming President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory on Wednesday, demanding a 10-day delay.

“It is your self-serving attempt at sedition that has helped to inspire these terrorists and their attempted coup,” alleged Beto O’Rourke, the El Paso Democrat who came close to ousting Cruz in 2018.

Just before 3 a.m. Thursday in Washington, with the House debating a challenge to the Pennsylvania electors that Cruz himself supported in the Senate – ending up on the losing side of a 92-7 vote – Cruz issued a full-throated rejection of the mob violence.

“The attack at the Capitol was a despicable act of terrorism and a shocking assault on our democratic system,” he said, in a written statement that repeated sentiments expressed earlier – calling for prosecution for acts of violence, lauding Capitol Police for restoring order, and defending his demand for an inquiry into alleged irregularities before Biden’s victory is affirmed.

“Now, we must come together and put this anger and division behind us,” he said. “Congress must fulfill our constitutional responsibility to complete the Electoral College certification process. We must, and I am confident we will, have a peaceful and orderly transition of power, pursuant to the Constitution.”

By then, certification was almost at hand.

O’Rourke’s tweet came in response to Cruz condemning violence after the mob had overrun Congress, halting debates in the House and Senate triggered by his own objection to Biden’s victory in Arizona.

Four hours after the vandalism began, and with lawmakers still hunkered down for security, Cruz ignored questions about whether the violence prompted him to reconsider his objections and tactics. Aides offered no insight into how he would proceed when the Senate and House resumed deliberations Wednesday night.

As it turned out, Cruz lent his name to no further objections. Only his potential 2024 rival, Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, provided a signature for another challenge, paving way for a two-hour House debate on Pennsylvania’s electors that ended as expected: Biden’s victory was affirmed, 282-138.

Cruz did push back against O’Rourke after Capitol Police evacuated lawmakers, even as pro-Trump rioters occupied Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office and camped outside on marble steps and balconies off limits to the public.

“Stop stoking division. Stop spreading hatred. Stop using malicious rhetoric (such as false & reckless charges of `sedition’). Stop showing contempt for the half of the country that disagrees with you,” Cruz responded to his erstwhile rival. “Violence is wrong. We can do better. We are one Nation. #EPluribusUnum.”

That particular choice of retort was noteworthy because on Election Night 2018, when Cruz eked out a second term with less than 51% against O’Rourke, he offered a message of humility and conciliation that Texans had not heard during his campaign or, really, during his first term: “I am your senator as well.”

Matthew Eshbaugh-Soha, chair of the University of North Texas political science department, likened Cruz’s short-lived vow to tone down the partisanship to a kid who gets in trouble “but the punishment isn’t as bad as you thought.”

“It was a close call,” he said. “You’re like, I’ll never do this again. …And then two weeks later you’re doing the same thing.”

Cruz led a group of 11 senators demanding an emergency investigation, though in two months since Election Day no evidence of widespread fraud has surfaced.

“I am not arguing for setting aside the result of this election,” he insisted after objecting to the Arizona electors, maintaining that procedurally, he had no other way to focus Congress’ attention on the idea, which he said was aimed at bolstering public trust in the outcome.

After rioters stormed the Capitol, he called for prosecutions.

“In no way would Sen. Cruz ever condone this,” said spokeswoman Lauren Bianchi.

Julián Castro, the former Obama housing secretary and San Antonio mayor, said Cruz “has embarrassed Texas and the entire nation” and like Trump, “he would watch democracy burn if he got to rule the ashes.”

He and his brother, Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, called on Cruz to resign, as did many other Texas Democrats.

Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin, a conservative and staunch Trump critic, suggested the Senate expel Cruz – along with Hawley, a likely 2024 rival.

“With 50 D’s you’d only need 16 R’s to expel Cruz. THAT shouldn’t be hard,” she tweeted, alluding to Cruz’s reputation for having few friends after eight years punctuated by grandstanding, defiance of GOP leadership and relentless partisanship.

Cruz’s crusade to help forestall final defeat for Trump was widely seen as a way to curry favor with the president and his base ahead of another run for president.

Conservatives in Congress applauded when he stood up in the House chamber at the outset of Wednesday’s joint session and declared his objection on the Arizona electors.

Across the aisle, he has been a hated figure. And the extraordinary events inspired even more shrill attacks than usual.

The Texas Democratic Party called on the Justice Department to investigate Cruz for inciting sedition and treason, and party spokesman Abhi Rahman taunted that the riot had a silver lining: “@tedcruz’s presidential ambitions are dead in the water.”

“Ted Cruz led a charge of the ‘Sedition Caucus,’ which ignited the people who stormed the U.S. Capitol and brought gunshots and violence,” said Ed Espinoza, executive director at Progress Texas. “Cruz’s act of political theater has brought domestic terrorism to our nation’s Capitol.”

A number of Texas Democrats blamed Cruz for inciting the lawlessness, along with Trump.

“You fan the flames and then condemn the growing fire?” tweeted state Rep. Joe Moody, an El Paso Democrat who served as pro tempore of the Texas House. Aiming his comments at Cruz, he wrote, “You are an embarrassment to Texas and should be ashamed of yourself.”

State Rep. James Talarico, D-Round Rock, went further, tweeting at Cruz: “You sacrificed your country for your ambition. You’re not a senator, you’re a traitor.”

The Boot Texas Republicans PAC, formed to oppose Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, likewise blamed Cruz and called on him to resign.

“Ted Cruz incited the riot we saw today,” said spokesman Zack Malitz. “Cruz told the country that the election was stolen. Cruz undermined public faith in the election by suggesting that there is a conspiracy to overturn the will of the people.”

Staff writer Lauren McGaughy contributed to this report from Austin.