Posted on 07/23/2015 11:09:20 AM PDT by Isara
Cruz, Diaz-Balart, Ros-Lehtinen send letter to Secretary Kerry calling for investigation into treatment of Cuban dissidents
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Following this week's opening of the Cuban Embassy, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today introduced legislation to rename the street where the embassy is located as "Oswaldo Payá Way" in honor of Cuba's late leader in democratic movements. The bill serves as a tribute to those who have contested the cruelty and oppression of the Castro regime.
"The opening of the Cuban Embassy is yet another example of the Administration's long, slow capitulation to oppressive dictatorships around the globe. The Castros may have come to power before the President was born, but they remain at heart the same brutal thugs they were when they imprisoned and tortured my Tía Sonia 50 years ago," Sen. Cruz said. "There is absolutely no reason to legitimize and enrich them now, and it is my hope that this gesture will reassure those fighting for freedom in Cuba that there are still some in the United States who stand with them."
The bill also comes after reports of the State Department's mistreatment of Cuban dissidents who attended a joint briefing on U.S.-Cuba relations on Monday.
Sen. Cruz, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), and Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) sent a letter to Sec. John Kerry today requesting an investigation into potentially aggressive behavior toward Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo and Rosa María Paya, daughter of Orlando Payá, by a member of the State Department.
"According to Ms. Payá and Mr. Lazo, when they arrived at the State Department before your press conference with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, they were identified by members of the Cuban delegation. When they entered the briefing room they were confronted by your chief spokesman, Admiral John Kirby, who requested they refrain from asking any questions or they would be forcibly removed...How very sad it would be if Ms. Payá were to find that the repressive, totalitarian tactics that have silenced so many generations of Cubans do not end at the water's edge, but have also infiltrated our own capital," Cruz, Ros-Lehtinen and Diaz-Balart wrote.
Full text of the resolution can be found here, and the letter to Sec. Kerry can be found in its entirety here.
###
My rating for the “Good Ted Can Do” goes something like this:
1. Being elected President (he’s in tier two, not likely)
2. Push through Laws that will pass both houses and be signed.
3. Investigative hearings that provide proof of Dem criminality. Bonus for indictments stemming from.
4. Laws that will at least pass the Senate and House, forcing an
Obama veto.
5. Laws that will pass the Senate, forcing discussion.
6. Laws that are doomed to fail in the Senate, but good.
7. Passing resolutions in the Senate.
8. Introducing resolutions that are doomed to fail.
9. Long pseudo-fillibusters to draw attention to issues.
The article is about something I rate an 8. Several of things you’ve introduced probably get to a 5. Hearings I think are pretty great, if managed well.
The biggest thing that “Good Ted Can Do” is declare null and void all of the Executive Orders of Obama. That, in itself, will go a long way to clearing out the brush.
Yeah, right. THAT has a chance of becoming law...
Apparently, she has already found it out.
Trump has had a much more powerful impact on the national conversation. We are now discussing Mexican immigration, amnesty and sanctuary cities in a forthright manner. I had hoped, originally that mabye Cruz was the guy to drive this sort of "American Spring" where we actually talk about what's going on in our country, unconstrained by liberal idiocy.
Using my scale from above here is how I rate his actions.
So on average he's a lot more effective than in this example, which is all I was really saying.
I guess I need to consider how personal this issue is to him.
It is relatively common to use the title “Admiral” for anyone holding flag rank.
Then there is no question that he is doing important things.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.