Today Guy Benson wrote that Ted Cruz lied about his positions last night on the legalization of illegals. Here’s what he wrote:
Cruz now indignantly claims that the black-and-white evidence in these two clips is “not accurate.” Some of the Texas Senator’s defenders say that his pro-legalization amendment was merely a strategic move designed to prove a point (that Democrats were insistent upon citizenship, not legalization, because they were hunting for votes), or to help torpedo the broader legislation. But that’s not what Ted Cruz said at the time. He told journalist Byron York that his amendment was a good faith effort to fix the bill “so that it actually solves the problem.” He echoed this sentiment at a Princeton University alumni event: “The amendment I introduced affected only citizenship; it did not affect the underlying legalization in the Gang of Eight bill,” he said. “My effort in introducing [my amendmentss] was to find solution that reflected common ground and fixed the problem.” Senator Ted Cruz did, clearly and provably, favor mass legalization of legal immigrants. He proposed it, he advocated for it, and he asked his colleagues to pass it.
It indeed was as strategic move designed to expose what the Gang of 8 bill was all about. We show that here via Amanda Carpenter. Carpenter actually worked for Cruz and knew what he was doing. She’s no hack.
But Benson ignores all of that and says that Cruz actually told reporters and others at the time that basically he was really trying to fix the bill. This is the basis of his argument.
Well, what’s Cruz supposed to say? Is he supposed to expose the lies of the Gang of 8 by arguing one thing in the Senate and telling everyone else something different? Then his fellow Senators would surely know his strategy and start spreading it everywhere in order to refute Cruz.
It’s not hard to put this together. Guy Benson can do better.