Posted on 01/28/2016 2:26:49 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Donald Trump's campaign manager Corey Lewandowski said on Thursday that his candidate would be "happy" to debate Ted Cruz once the Texas senator gets a federal judge to rule him eligible to run for president.
"Once you've gotten that ruling from the federal judge and you're the last man standing in this presidential contest next to Donald Trump, we'll be happy to have a debate with you one-on-one, anywhere you want, because that's the way the system works," Lewandowski said. "But, as it stands right now, we don't even know if Ted Cruz is legally eligible to run for president of the United States."
Trump and his supporters have argued that Cruz, who was born in Canada to a U.S. citizen, is not natural born and therefore ineligible to run for president under the Constitution.
Cruz challenged Trump to debate him one-on-one after Trump announced that he would not be attending the Fox News Republican presidential debate Thursday night because of objections to the presence of anchor Megyn Kelly and a statement Fox issued in response to his complaints. "What this is, is a publicity stunt by Senator Cruz who is continuing to fall in the polls in the state of Iowa," Lewandowski told Boston radio host Jeff Kuhner, before unleashing a slew of attacks at Cruz, arguing that he had used "dark money donors" through his super PAC to offer a donation to charity if Trump agreed to the debate.
"If Ted Cruz were able to disclose the loans that he's taken out from Goldman Sachs and Citi, then maybe he would use his own money for this, but instead he's using super PAC money which I don't even know if he can do legally," Lewandowski said, referring to loans Cruz took out during his 2012 run for Senate that he did not disclose in campaign filings. "And the bottom line is, you know what we've said to Ted Cruz, go into court, seek a declaratory judgment to find out if you're even legally eligible to run for president of the United States." In the interview, Lewandowski addressed his remark that Megyn Kelly had a "rough couple of days after that last debate" and "would hate to have her go through that again," which some at Fox News interpreted as a threat.
"That's not a threat. It's a factual statement," Lewandowski said. "And the bottom line, was, she did have a rough couple days after the debate because what she did during that first presidential debate was she made sure the debate was about her and not about the candidates who were actually on the stage."
Toward the end of the interview, Lewandowski took another shot at Cruz, this time over Cruz's criticism of Trump's support for eminent domain. Lewandowski said that eminent domain would be required to build the Keystone Pipeline, which Cruz supports. "The Keystone Pipeline, as you know, starts where Ted Cruz was born, in the country of Canada, and runs right down to where he lives now, in the state of Texas, and eminent domain is an issue that you know what unfortunately, sometimes you need to use it to get projects like that done," Lewandowski said.
Cruz needs to explain that to the voters in just that way.
It is so cool. A ton of people are waiting for 700 seats.....Yieks. They will have overflow rooms but I am sure they would rather be in the main area. I wish Trump would have gotten a bigger arena. But it is so difficult to plan for these things especially with so little time notice.
It is going to be absolutely amazing.
He’s an American.
If Trump thought Cruz could be president then why is he questioning his eligibility?
There is already a suit out there. If Cruz tells his lawyers to take the matter to court instead of trying to get it thrown out for any reason, he can get his judgement.
Canada conveys citizenship to anyone spit out on their soil.
If I posted arguments from renown constitutional scholars - and there are many - who believe Cruz eligible would you respond?
That coffee has been percolating for quite a while. Just now smelling it?
ROTFL!!!! Having spent months publicly questioning Cruz's eligibility how can Trump turn around and then select him as VP? There is absolutely no way Trump can offer the position to Cruz, and absolutely no way Cruz would ever accept it if he did.
Cruz intro music “Born near the USAâ€
Cruz exit music after Iowa results come in.â€Canadian Sunsetâ€
Can't let go of that canard, can you? Other more intelligent and educated people have tried to school you on the truth behind bankruptcy laws and how they work, but you stubbornly cling to your abject ignorance.
Sad.
No it isn't. A summary judgement still requires a suit be filed with a plaintiff and a defendant. Trump lacks standing and Cruz can't sue himself.
**SHUDDER** Donald, you are a coward. lol You are fooling no one.
Especially when Cruz would make him look like an idiot.
http://harvardlawreview.org/2015/03/on-the-meaning-of-natural-born-citizen/
This is the most likely outcome of any challenge. I doubt if there is a Federal Court in America, even the 9th Circuit, that would rule that Ted Cruz is not an NBC.
Trump is being an @$$. As usual.
Disclosure: I’ll take Trump or Cruz no problem, and my state has no primary so I’m an observer for now.
If the situation were reversed, Cruz wouldn’t debate Trump, and Cruz is a trained debate champ.
This “Debate me or you’re chicken” things has been around forever. It’s the only Hail Mary a guy has got when he’s losing.
And, nobody debates a guy they are leading. Nobody.
The eligibility thing is genius because it puts uncertainty in some people’s minds and makes the other side waste hours arguing something they can’t settle.
Brilliant move by Trump. There is no downside, even if Cruz proves eligibility he looks like Trump is running the show.
Like, Cruz and Trump are owned by the RNC? Who the hell are they?
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