Cruz Hits Trump: He Was 'Nowhere To Be Found' When I Was Fighting 'Amnesty'

Talking Points Memo

By Caitlin Macneal

January 19, 2016

Cruz Hits Trump: He Was 'Nowhere To Be Found' When I Was Fighting 'Amnesty' 

After Donald Trump called Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) a "nasty guy" on Sunday, the Texas senator stepped up his attacks on Trump after months of avoiding outright criticism of the real estate mogul.

During a Monday campaign event in New Hampshire, Cruz criticized Trump for being absent during the Senate debate over the Gang of Eight bill in 2013, according to Buzzfeed News.

"We were on the verge of losing this fight and 12 million people here illegally being granted amnesty,” Cruz said, according to Buzzfeed News. "Yet when that fight was being fought, Donald was nowhere to be found. If you didn’t stand up and fight amnesty when the stakes were live or die, when the stakes were do we lose this permanently or do we win, then I would suggest as voters you have reason to doubt the credibility of the promises of a political candidate who discovers the issue after he announces for president."

Cruz also noted Trump's previous support for bailing out big banks, eminent domain, and President Obama's economic stimulus package, according to Buzzfeed News.

The Texas senator also bashed Trump during a Monday interview on "The Kuhner Report" on Boston radio station WRKO.

"The most important question for anyone in a Republican primary to ask is how do we distinguish between who’s telling the truth and who is yet another politician just saying on the trail what they think we want to hear," Cruz said during the interview. "Don’t listen to what any of us say on the campaign trail, but rather follow the biblical principle, ‘You shall know them by their fruits.’ Ask what have they done."

Cruz said that he's been a "consistent" conservative but noted that Trump has donated to Democrats in the past and expressed support for progressive policies. Cruz said that "suddenly when he announces as a candidate for president, every single one of his views changes," suggesting that the real estate mogul cannot be trusted to follow through on his proposals.

Host Jeff Kuhner then asked, "Are you essentially saying Trump is a fraud and a hypocrite?"

"Well those are your words, Jeff," Cruz replied. "I like Donald Trump. I respect him. I will point out where we have policy differences, and I trust the men and women of New Hampshire to make the determination who’s telling the truth and who’s blowing smoke."

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