Ted Cruz Calls Chris Christie 'Desperate' As He Doubles Down On Sandy Hypocrisy

Rebecca Shapiro
Updated

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) hit back at New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) on Wednesday, as he doubled down on his defense for opposing a 2013 relief package to aid victims of Superstorm Sandy.

“I’m sorry there are politicians who seem really desperate to get their names in the news and will are saying whatever they need to do that,” Cruz said during an appearance on “Fox and Friends.”

The Texas senator was responding to Christie saying Cruz was lying about why he voted no on the $50.5 billion package to aid victims of the superstorm that devastated parts of New Jersey and New York. Cruz said he voted against the bill because it was a bad piece of legislation that was two-thirds full of spending unrelated to the superstorm. The Washington Post fact-checked Cruz’s claim and found that claim untrue.

“The bill was largely aimed at dealing with Sandy, along with relatively minor items to address other or future disasters,” the Post reported Tuesday.

Cruz maintained his defense.

“For folks who are focused on raising political shots and snipes about the Sandy bill, facts matter,” Cruz continued. “And a simple fact was that Sandy bill was over $50 billion, and 70 percent of it was non-emergency.”

At the time, all but one Texas Republican voted against the relief package for Hurricane Sandy relief.

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Submerged Houston neighborhoods near Interstate 10 in the wake of Tropical Storm Harvey on Aug. 29, 2017.
Submerged Houston neighborhoods near Interstate 10 in the wake of Tropical Storm Harvey on Aug. 29, 2017.
Recreational vehicles lie on their sides in the floodwaters.
Recreational vehicles lie on their sides in the floodwaters.
People survey the flooded areas near their homes.
People survey the flooded areas near their homes.
Vehicles sit on a flooded portion of Interstate 10.
Vehicles sit on a flooded portion of Interstate 10.
People walk through flooded neighborhoods.
People walk through flooded neighborhoods.
A truck navigates through floodwaters in a residential neighborhood west of Houston.
A truck navigates through floodwaters in a residential neighborhood west of Houston.
The water levels are high at the Addicks Reservoir.
The water levels are high at the Addicks Reservoir.
Portions of Interstate 10 are completely underwater.
Portions of Interstate 10 are completely underwater.
An aerial view of downtown Houston under dark clouds.
An aerial view of downtown Houston under dark clouds.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.