Texas Senator Ted Cruz, already viewed as a grandstanding newcomer by many of his Republican colleagues, enraged GOP leadership and delighted Democrats over the weekend by using parliamentary tactics to slow down a vote on the controversial omnibus-spending bill.
The delay of a vote on the legislation, which will keep most of the government running through the end of the fiscal year, allowed Senate Democrats to confirm a raft of President Obama’s executive branch nominees who would likely never have received a vote in next year’s Republican-controlled Senate.
Cruz was demanding a vote on the constitutionality of President Obama’s decision to shield up to 5 million undocumented immigrants from immediate deportation, an executive action he describes as unconstitutional. He had relatively little support in the Senate for the motion, but went ahead anyway, preventing a vote on the omnibus spending bill and greatly irritating his fellow Republicans.
Related: CRomnibus Swaps Provision: Problems Abound
“You should have an end goal in sight if you're going to do these types of things and I don't see an end goal other than irritating a lot of people,” said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.
“While the president's executive actions on immigration are reprehensible and deserve a strong response, I value the oath I took to support and defend the Constitution too much to exploit it for political expediency,” said Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN). “The Constitution gives Congress the power to fund the government so to assert that the House-passed spending bill is unconstitutional is not only inaccurate but irresponsible.”
South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said, “Christmas came early” for the Democrats because of Cruz, adding via Tweet, “I haven’t seen [Democratic Senate Majority Leader] Harry Reid smile like this in years. I don’t like it one bit.”
I haven't seen Harry Reid smile like this in years. I don't like it one bit.
— Lindsey Graham (@GrahamBlog) December 14, 2014
Related: Obama Tells Disgruntled Dems to buck Up Over CRomnibus Bill
For their part, Democrats were unable, or just unwilling, to contain their schadenfreude. Adam Jentleson, spokesman for Reid noted that after Cruz’s motion finally came to a vote and lost 22-74, the senator’s motion earned fewer votes than the number of nominees the Democrats cleared during the delay.
Senator Cruz's stunt got 22 votes - two fewer than the 24 Obama nominees his actions let Senate Democrats move forward on today.
— Adam Jentleson (@AJentleson) December 14, 2014
New York Sen. Chuck Schumer was similarly unable to contain his delight with a series of Tweets on Saturday night and Sunday morning.
Last night Sen. McConnell put Senate on #CruzControl - meltdown ensues. Will he take back the wheel?
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) December 13, 2014
Really hope that last night's display of #CruzControl isn't a preview of what's to come in the next Congress.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) December 13, 2014
Related: GOP Passes Spending Bill…With Obama’s Help
Was worried Dr. Vivek Murthy might not get confirmed but thanks to @TedCruz, looks like he will. #TopDocNow #SurgeonGeneral
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) December 13, 2014
Schumer turned up on CNN’s State of the Union program on Sunday morning to gloat further.
“Ted Cruz…people say he’s a great political mover and shaker,” he told host Candy Crowley. “He made huge mistakes yesterday. He helped us get nominees that Republicans didn’t want. He embarrassed Mitch McConnell.”
For his part, Cruz appeared content that he had made his point. And given his history of caring very little about what anyone – Republican or Democrat – thinks of him, it seems likely the weekend’s event won’t have much effect on his future actions in the Senate.
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