Posted on 01/12/2016 3:03:50 PM PST by Isara
HUDSON, N.H. — Ted Cruz on Tuesday went further than ever in needling Donald Trump, suggesting Democrats are behind the billionaire's questions about his citizenship.
Speaking with reporters after a rally here, the U.S. senator from Texas was asked what he thought of Trump citing Harvard law professor Laurence Tribe's analysis that Cruz might be ineligible to be president. Trump has pounced on Cruz's Canadian birth to cast doubt on whether he is a natural-born citizen.
“I will say it is more than a little strange to see Donald relying on as authoritative a liberal, left-wing, judicial activist Harvard law professor who is a huge Hillary supporter," Cruz replied. "It starts to make you think, ‘Gosh, why are some of Hillary’s strongest supporters backing Donald Trump?’"
Cruz then suggested Democrats were supporting Trump as a way of propping up a Republican they believe they can beat in the general election.
"You know, the last couple of elections, you’ll recall the Democrats got the nominee they wanted to run against in the general election," Cruz said. "It seems the Hillary folks are very eager to support Donald Trump and the attacks that are being tossed my direction.'"
The remarks represent Cruz's sharpest turn yet on Trump, whom he has refused to criticize for months, even as the billionaire has sharpened his attacks against Cruz. The two are now locked in a tight race in Iowa, the first-in-the-country caucus state.
Trump has been raising questions about whether Cruz is a natural-born citizen, which the Constitution requires for someone to serve as president. Cruz has insisted the legal question is straightforward: He argues his mother's U.S. citizenship (she's from Delaware) makes him a natural-born citizen, even if he was born in Calgary and his father is from Cuba.
Tribe, whom taught constitutional law to Cruz at Harvard, has said the issue is not as cut and dry, recently telling The Guardian that questions about Cruz's eligibility to be president are "murky and unsettled." Trump has favorably cited Tribe's analysis more than once, calling the professor a "constitutional expert, one of the best in the country," during a rally Monday in New Hampshire.
Tribe, viewed as one of the top liberal law professors in the country, has a long history of donating to Democratic candidates and causes. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Cruz is back in the Granite State for the first time in two months. He plans to hold another event later Tuesday afternoon, a town hall in Londonderry.
I would like to beat the Republicans..they betrayed us over and over!
Since this is a forum for conservatives, he should be under everyone’s skin.
As I said, Cruz can’t bring suit against himself. Only a person with standing, a candidate, can bring the suit. Cruz DOES know the law and the Constitution. Trump needs to bring it on!
I want to beat the Republicans too.
Frankly, the GOP sucks, and I hate it more than I hate the demonrats, because the GOP lied to me directly.
In fact, it has become quite apparent that before one can defeat the demonrats, one must first defeat their guardians, the Republicans.
So there you go.
Yeah, he won’t come out of the closet until the primary is over.
Great Post!
Sure. Michele Bachmann. Is that who you think should have been the nominee?
They all had serious issues. Newt Gingrich may have been better than Romney. Or maybe not.
They think it’s a way to take down Trump....how dare anyone question St Ted?
The birther issue has had Cruz responding despite himself.
Tribe is right that an originalist view of the constitution would declare Cruz ineligible to run....provided that there is no intervening law. In the case of Cruz, the current naturalization law, a power vested specifically in Congress, says that Cruz is to be considered a citizen at birth.
The originalists would look at the original laws on the subject and determine that the father’s actions would determine citizenship at birth. That would be their touchstone in interpreting ‘natural born citizen’.
Turns out all the super lawyer stuff is just smoke and mirrors, more marketing than reality.
How was he going to do that? Courts act retrospectively on stuff like this. That is to say, they wait until something happens and then decide what to do about it. They aren't going to deal with hypotheticals or what ifs.
And to bring a case to court you have to argue that you were wronged in some way. Maybe I don't quite have it right, but you could file suit to get Ted off the ballot if you don't think he's eligible, and he could file suit if he's kept off the ballot, but he can't file suit to ensure that nobody ever kicks him off.
What I'm trying to say is that sometimes there isn't an immediate legal resolution of difficulties you might face -- even if you are a "super lawyer."
And Mitt had nothing ‘but’ serious issues. gun control. Abortion. Liberal judges. Romney care. The list is endless.
Give it up. People made a mistake. All you are doing is proving my point that few will admit it.
If Cruz had been born in the United States and was running against someone who was born in Canada of an American mother and didn’t renounce his Canadian citizenship until he was 44 years and decided to run for president, Cruz would be calling him out on it. Being a democrat or republican has nothing to do with it. Why was Cruz so secretive about it and why has it gotten his skin? I don’t think Rubio is an American citizen. He might have been born in the United States, but neither of his parents were American citizens.
Trump can only attack Cruz with lies and leftism. Cruz has timed his rebuttal well too.
No argument from me on that. But you continue to avoid saying who you think should have been the nominee. Maybe Santorum?
LOL! I think the Rubio amnesty crap caught Cruz off guard just based on how false it was. This; however, is playing right into Cruz’s hands and I’m sure he saw it coming. The more Trump beats on this, the stupider he looks. Ya’ll really aughta start walking it back yourselves.
Cruz’s lame defense of why he is natural born citizen (his mom was a citizen) is Exhibit A that Cruz is not an original intent constutionalist, or not when his own ox will be gored by that principle.
And THAT is the problem. Do we elect someone who is soft on immigration - as seen in Obamatrade, etc,. that were favored by Ted - or do we just listen to what this trained talker tells us in order to get what he wants? Unfortunately his wife brings up more questions. I want to separate the usual b.s. that we get from candidates from their actions. Ted has done some good things and he has had some disasters and perhaps his own situation is one of them.
Cruz jumping the shark!
Of the listed candidates, Santorum or Gingrich dispute their issues. Because they had actual records with conservatism. They sucked but were not America hating liberals.
I agree, it would be wonderful to beat the Republicans who for the most part are GOPers
Edit - DESPITE
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