Sen. Ted Cruz flew to Mexico for a family vacation while millions of Texans were left without power in freezing temperatures, according to multiple reports.
And it didn’t take long for the internet to juxtapose some of the senator’s tweets from last year, in which he castigated California Democrats for their apparent indifference to their constituents’ suffering.
Photos on social media showed Cruz at Houston’s airport Wednesday night on his way to Cancun, Mexico. Multiple news outlets confirmed the Texas senator boarded the flight and is expected to return Thursday afternoon. A member of Cruz’s staff also asked the Houston Police Department for “assistance upon arrival” Wednesday night for the senator, the New York Times reported.
The move was condemned by many Twitter users and compounded the scorn Cruz invited just a day earlier for a tweet he wrote last year mocking California’s electricity woes while Texas struggles with wide-scale blackouts, freezing temperatures, unsafe drinking water and at least 20 storm-related deaths across several states.
Texas Rep. Gene Wu on Wednesday night tweeted a photo of Cruz boarding a flight. “Guess which US Senator from Texas flew to Cancun while the state was freezing to death and having to boil water?” Wu said.
Some Twitter uses called the trip Cruz’s “French Laundry moment,” referring to when Gov. Gavin Newsom and San Francisco Mayor London Breed were seen having dinner on separate nights at the French Laundry restaurant in Napa last year.
Social media users resurfaced Cruz’s tweet criticizing California officials on Twitter for the move, calling him a hypocrite.
In a statement Thursday, Cruz defended his trip to Mexico. He also acknowledged that Texans, including his family, have been without power.
“With school canceled for the week, our girls asked to take a trip with friends,” Cruz said in a statement. “Wanting to be a good dad, I flew down with them last night and am flying back (Thursday) afternoon.”
Earlier this week, Twitter users resurfaced a tweet Cruz wrote last year mocking California’s summer blackouts.
The tweet, in which Cruz attempted to wed the blackouts to failures of Democratic leadership — struck many in recent days as deeply sanctimonious at a moment when the Lone Star state is struggling with wide-scale blackouts, freezing temperatures and at least 20 deaths in Texas and nearby states.
As Californians experienced scorching temperatures, rolling blackouts and the threat of massive wildfires last summer, Cruz made fun of the Golden State on Twitter: “California is now unable to perform even basic functions of civilization, like having reliable electricity. Biden/Harris/AOC want to make CA’s failed energy policy the standard nationwide. Hope you don’t like air conditioning!”
The blackouts in Texas have been more intense than what Californians have experienced for many reasons, one being that the Lone Star state has its own energy grid.
Now, people are asking the senator why millions in Texas have been left without electricity for days in record-breaking temperatures.
“Hey @tedcruz, why can’t Texas perform even basic functions of civilization, like having reliable electricity?” one Twitter user wrote.
“Wait till he hears how his own state is doing with electricity ... Glass houses and stones. Reality loves irony,” another Twitter user wrote.
“Texas is the largest producer of natural gas on the continent, & relies heavily on nonrenewable resources. Cruz/Cornyn/Abbott want to make TX’s unstable energy & failed infrastructure plans the nationwide standard. Vote for competent leadership, Texas,” another person wrote.
“Maybe you should be taking care of your home state, instead of letting Biden do it for you,” another wrote.
Cruz on Tuesday responded to the criticism on social media, saying he has “no defense.”
“A blizzard strikes Texas & our state shuts down. Not good. Stay safe!” Cruz tweeted.
Jessica Flores is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jessica.flores@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jesssmflores
February 19, 2021 at 01:19AM
https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Sen-Ted-Cruz-invites-scorn-for-old-tweet-mocking-15957325.php
Is this Ted Cruz’s ‘French Laundry moment’? Senator draws scorn for Cancun trip as Texans froze in deadly storm - San Francisco Chronicle
https://news.google.com/search?q=Laundry&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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