Ted Cruz left the frozen state of Texas on Wednesday night for a Mexican vacation, but after social media outrage Cruz is attempting to claim his trip to Cancun was just a day trip. Cruz, who requested a police escort to the airport while hundreds of thousands of Texans remain without power and drinkable water amid a winter storm that fried the state’s independent electricity grid, is grasping at any defense for his decision to go on vacation during the crisis.
The Texas senator who had previously criticized Democratic lawmakers for traveling during a pandemic got caught doing the same, though it also came as one of the most powerful Texan lawmakers alive did nothing to help millions of freezing, powerless, and water-less Texans. Earlier Thursday, as word spread that Cruz had fled the country amid a deadly environmental disaster, Cruz kind of threw his daughters under the bus for the decision. And in a brief interview before his flight in Cancun, Cruz reiterated that the trip was his 10- and 12-year-old daughters’ idea, not his. He was just there to drop them off and head back the next day.
Sen. Ted Cruz at the Cancún airport:
"Yesterday my daughters asked if they could take a trip with some friends, and Heidi and I agreed, so I flew down with them last night, dropped them off here and now I'm headed back to Texas." pic.twitter.com/5d8UwlmZWv
— The Recount (@therecount) February 18, 2021
“Yesterday my daughters asked us if they could take a trip, with some friends,” Cruz said. “Heidi and I agreed, so I flew down with them last night, dropped them off here and now I’m headed back to Texas and back continuing to work to try and get the power back on. What’s happening in Texas is unacceptable.”
As others have reported, though, Cruz’s original plans were to stay in Mexico until Saturday according to the airline.
Spoke to a source at United Airlines, Senator Ted Cruz rebooked his flight back to Houston from Cancun for this afternoon at around 6 a.m. today (Thursday). He was originally scheduled to return on Saturday.https://t.co/QV9xgibIQ9
— Edward Russell (@ByERussell) February 18, 2021
NEW: Ted Cruz booked his return ticket from Cancun to Texas at 6 a.m. today, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. Cruz was initially booked to return on Saturday.
— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) February 18, 2021
And as many pointed out, Cruz sure packed a big bag for what he inexplicably claims was just an overnight trip. We’ll see what he has to say when he deals with more reporters when he lands back in Texas. And if he can do anything to actually help people or if he’s as useless as other Republicans seem to think he is.