'It's not a f---ing game': Democratic lawmaker gives the sternest of rebukes against Ted Cruz after deadly Capitol Hill siege
- Rep. Brendan Boyle of Philadelphia, in what is most likely the harshest public words yet by a Democrat, rebuked Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.
- Boyle told Cruz to "end this s---" of playing politics after the deadly riots on Capitol Hill.
- "What the f--- is it going to take for you to end this s---," Boyle tweeted. "How many more 20-yr old staffers do you want to be terrorized and hiding in our offices?"
Rep. Brendan Boyle of Philadelphia, in what is most likely the harshest public words yet by a Democrat, rebuked a Senate colleague and told him to "end this s---" of playing politics after the deadly riots on Capitol Hill.
Boyle's response was prompted after President-elect Joe Biden blamed President Donald Trump, as well as Cruz and other Senate Republicans, of inciting the siege on Capitol Hill that killed at least five people, including a US Capitol Police officer.
"If he's the only one saying it, that's one thing," Biden said, referring to Trump, to the press after a speech on Friday. "But the acolytes that follow him, like Cruz and others, they are as responsible as he is."
"I think the American public has a real good clear look at who they are," Biden added. "They're part of the big lie."
Biden went on to draw a comparison between Cruz's behavior to that of Joseph Goebbels, a Nazi propagandist during World War II. "Big lie" is a reference to a propaganda technique employed by the Nazis in order to sow doubt and confusion.
Cruz, as well as other Republicans like Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, have been criticized for objecting to a congressional procedure to count the 2020 presidential race's Electoral College votes. Democrats and Republicans have alleged that their claims gave credence to conspiracy theories that have repeatedly been struck down by federal judges, and that they were predicated on debunked theories of widespread voter fraud.
Their objections, which took place on the same day as the Capitol Hill siege on Wednesday, promoted the discontent and political divide, Democrats alleged. Democratic lawmakers accused Cruz and Hawley of "treasonous" behavior, with some calling for them to be censured or expelled.
Cruz took offense to Biden's comparison and described it on Twitter as "really sad."
"At a time of deep national division, President-elect Biden's choice to call his political opponents literal Nazis does nothing to bring us together or promote healing," Cruz said. "This kind of vicious partisan rhetoric only tears our country apart."
Cruz condemned the attacks as a "despicable act of terrorism," but alleged Democrats were taking advantage of the moment. Cruz eventually voted to sustain his objections, which were overwhelmingly struck down by his Senate colleagues.
"No one should be surprised to see Democrats playing politics and to see them try to attack strong conservative leaders," Cruz said during a radio interview. "That's something Democrats have done for a long time. I do think it's really cynical for them to be trying to take advantage of what was a tragic event that occurred yesterday in Washington - the terrorist attack on the Capitol."
Boyle responded to Cruz on Twitter, telling him to "just stop."
"You know better. I know you know better," Boyle tweeted. "It's not a f------ game. Five people were killed."
"What the f--- is it going to take for you to end this s---," Boyle added. "How many more 20-yr old staffers do you want to be terrorized and hiding in our offices?"
Neither Boyle's nor Cruz's offices responded to a request for comment on Friday evening.