Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley: Senate Democrats call for ethical investigation of Cruz and Hawley on the Capitol riots

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“The Senate Ethics Committee should investigate the actions of Senators Hawley and Cruz, and perhaps others, as investigations may show, to protect the Senate’s integrity, security and reputation,” Democratic Sens said. Sheldon Whitehouse from Rhode Island. , Ron Wyden of Oregon, Tina Smith of Minnesota, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Tim Kaine of Virginia and Sherrod Brown of Ohio wrote in the complaint.

“The question for the Senate to answer is not whether Senators Hawley and Cruz had the right to object to the voters, but whether the senators did not.”[p]full loyalty to the highest moral principles and to countries over loyalty to individuals, party or government department ‘or engaged in’ inappropriate behavior reflecting on the Senate ‘in connection with the violence on January 6,’ wrote the Democrats, referring to the Code of Ethics for Government Service and the Senate Ethics Manual.

In their letter to the panel leaders, Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware and Republican Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma, the seven senators also asked the committee to make disciplinary recommendations, “including expulsion or censure”.

In a statement Thursday, Hawley called the complaint “a blatant violation of the Senate’s ethical process and a blatant attempt at revenge by the party.”

Democrats appear to be planning to arm any tool at their disposal – including pushing an unconstitutional impeachment process – to further divide the country, the Missouri Republican said, referring to then-President Donald Trump’s impeachment by the House earlier. this month, which will take place next. to the Senate.

A Cruz spokesman accused the seven Democrats of “playing political games by filing frivolous ethical complaints against their colleagues.”

Sen. Cruz discussed an issue of law and policy on the Senate floor, he did so explicitly with the backing of 11 other senators, and he used a lawsuit to object that has been explicitly allowed by the federal government for nearly 150 years. law, “the spokesman said in a statement, adding that” Cruz immediately condemned the January 6 terrorist attack on the Capitol and called for prosecution to the fullest extent of the law. “

The complaint comes as authorities are investigating hundreds of people in connection with the deadly pro-Trump riot in the Capitol, including possible links to high-ranking Republicans encouraging them.
Federal prosecutors said earlier this month that they are looking at everyone involved in the riot, including the role Trump played in instigating it. Columbia District Attorney General Karl Racine warned on Sunday that Trump could be charged by prosecutors with “a felony, up to a maximum of six months in prison,” amid the fallout from the uprising.

Hawley announced on Dec. 30 that he would object to the Electoral College certification process, defying Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell. Nearly a dozen other Republican lawmakers, including Cruz, later announced that they too would object. But some changed their minds after the afternoon violence on January 6 – something the Seven Democrats noted in their complaint.

“By continuing to object to the voters after the violent attack, Senators Cruz and Hawley lent legitimacy to the Mafia cause and made future violence more likely,” the Democratic senators wrote.

The seven Democrats wrote on Thursday that “ the Senate has exclusive authority to determine whether (the actions of Hawley and Cruz) violated the rules of ethics, to investigate further conduct that we may not be aware that these rules may have. violated, and to consider appropriate discipline. . “

They urged investigators to investigate issues including whether Hawley, Cruz or members of their offices or campaigns were “ in contact with or coordinated with the organizers of the meeting, ” “ were aware of the plans for the event, ” or Received funding from organizations or donors who also funded the rally. “

Whitehouse, one of the seven Democrats, told CNN on Thursday afternoon that he sent the letter because “we need to clarify exactly what happened.”

“The only place to do that effectively is in the Senate, because you cannot rely on executive agencies doing that investigation because they are on the wrong side of the separation of powers,” he added .

Hawley, believed to be cherishing 2024 presidential ambitions, has borne most of the blame for starting the actions that led thousands of Trump supporters storming the Capitol complex and forcing the House and Senate to cope with emergencies. to go. Hawley had offered pro-Trump protesters outside the Capitol a greeting with a raised fist when he walked into the Senate early that day.
Publishing house Simon & Schuster dropped its upcoming book, which will now be released by conservative publishing house Regnery Publishing. Several major corporations, including Blue Cross Blue Shield and Citigroup, announced they were stopping donations to Hawley and other Republicans who objected to the Electoral College’s votes. Luxury hotel chain Loews Hotel Group has since canceled a fundraising campaign for Hawley, saying it is against “all who supported and instigated the deadly riot in the Capitol.”
The Democratic Senators’ complaint also cites Missouri’s former Senator John Danforth, Hawley’s former mentor, who told The New York Times that “making Trump’s false claim that the election was stolen credible is a very destructive attack on our constitutional government. “
Danforth, whose support was central to winning his 2018 Republican primaries, called supporting him “the biggest mistake I’ve ever made in my life” earlier this month.

This story has been updated with a statement from a Senator Ted Cruz spokesman.

CNN’s Manu Raju, Ali Zaslav, Dan Merica, Paul LeBlanc, Katelyn Polantz and Rebecca Grandahl from CNN contributed to this report.

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