Recap: Another Rough Week for Ted Cruz
AUSTIN, Texas – Whether it’s facing yet another “federal complaint over his podcast deal,” getting caught delaying his financial disclosures in the midst of a scandal over proceeds he received from his podcast, voting no and taking the dough on billions in new investments in Texas’ economy, or getting outraised this quarter, it’s been another rough week for Ted Cruz.
Here’s a recap:
San Antonio Current: Sen. Ted Cruz hit with another federal complaint over his podcast deal
The Campaign Legal Center (CLC), a money-in-politics watchdog group, has filed a complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee alleging that U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz violated the upper chamber's ban on members taking honoraria for speeches or other appearances.
Cruz's podcast deal came under intense scrutiny this month after iHeartMedia reported in federal filings that it's contributed some $630,000 derived from "digital revenue" into a super PAC whose stated goal is "ensuring that Ted Cruz is re-elected to the United States Senate in 2024."
Both Cruz's office and representatives for iHeartMedia were unavailable for comment Wednesday.
Austin American-Statesman: Amid podcast debate, Ted Cruz gets extension for filing finance report
Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, seeking a third term in the November election against well-financed Dallas Democratic U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, has been granted permission by the Federal Election Commission to extend his deadline to file his required personal financial statement from mid-May to Aug. 14.
The extension, published on the FEC's website, comes as Cruz is attempting to fend off allegations that hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds from his podcast "Verdict with Ted Cruz" are being directed to a political action committee supporting his reelection.
The Cruz campaign did not directly address a question from the Statesman about whether the delay in filing the personal financial statement was related to the podcast controversy.
Texas Tribune: Colin Allred’s fundraising for U.S. Senate race surpasses O’Rourke’s early 2018 pace
U.S. Rep. Colin Allred raised over $9.5 million for his U.S. Senate campaign in this year’s first quarter, surpassing the campaign of his rival Sen. Ted Cruz.
Notably, Allred has also raised more money than Beto O’Rourke did by this point in his own history-making run against Cruz in 2018.
CBS Austin: US funding for Samsung in Taylor recalls Sematech effort to save American chipmaking
Billions of dollars in federal money is going to be spent to support American semiconductor manufacturing in the years ahead. And the White House just announced its starting with $6.5 billion to boost a chipmaker right here in Central Texas.
The federal money for the chipmaking operation in Taylor comes from the CHIPS Act, something Senator Cornyn supported but fellow Republican Texas US Senator Ted Cruz did not.
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