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Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz made a mockery of New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and he “arrest” in front of the Supreme Court.
As he was rallying the crowd against the current 9.1 percent inflation rate, he used the arrest of Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, where she pretended to be handcuffed, as a punchline the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit at the Tampa Convention Center on Friday.
The Texas Republican also took a swipe at California Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell for the rumors of his past connections to an alleged Chinese spy named Fang Fang.
“’Inflation is out of control. Food is skyrocketing. Electricity is skyrocketing. Health care is skyrocketing,” he said to the audience.
“It is so bad, ANTIFA can’t afford bricks. It’s gotten so bad, Eric Swalwell can’t afford Chinese dinners,” the senator said.
“It’s gotten so bad AOC can’t afford fake handcuffs,” he said.
Ted Cruz at @TPUSA’s #SAS2022: “Inflation is so bad, AOC can’t even afford fake handcuffs”
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 23, 2022
He got a standing ovation when he said “My preferred pronouns are ‘kiss my a**.’”
Several Democrats were arrested at the Supreme Court, including Squad members Democrat New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Ortez and Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar along with Democrat North Carolina Rep. Alma Adams, during a protest for abortion rights.
“Today, Rep. AOC was arrested along with other members of Congress outside the Supreme Court for protesting in support of abortion rights,” her staff said on her Twitter account.
Today, Rep. AOC was arrested along with other members of Congress outside the Supreme Court for protesting in support of abortion rights. #AbortionRightsAreHumanRights pic.twitter.com/gvj9J1o5ic
— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@RepAOC) July 19, 2022
“This is Congresswoman Adams’ staff. She was just arrested protesting for abortion rights and reproductive justice at the Supreme Court. More information as it develops,” Rep. Adams staff said from her Twitter account.
This is Congresswoman Adams’ staff. She was just arrested protesting for abortion rights and reproductive justice at the Supreme Court. More information as it develops. pic.twitter.com/Z8Ioi8D7Og
— Rep. Alma Adams (@RepAdams) July 19, 2022
It came after the Capitol Police issued a warning to protesters that they were going to take action.
“Demonstrators are starting to block First Street, NE. It is against the law to block traffic, so officers are going to give our standard three warnings before they start making arrests,” the police said.
Demonstrators are starting to block First Street, NE.
It is against the law to block traffic, so officers are going to give our standard three warnings before they start making arrests. pic.twitter.com/GBaz4wk8Lx
— U.S. Capitol Police (@CapitolPolice) July 19, 2022
“We have already given our standard three warnings. Some of the demonstrators are refusing to get out of the street, so we are starting to make arrests,” they said.
We have already given our standard three warnings.
Some of the demonstrators are refusing to get out of the street, so we are starting to make arrests.
— U.S. Capitol Police (@CapitolPolice) July 19, 2022
After the arrests they tweeted again.
“We made a total of 34 arrests for Crowding, Obstructing or Incommoding (DC Code § 22–1307). That arrest number includes 16 Members of Congress,” they said.
UPDATE: We made a total of 34 arrests for Crowding, Obstructing or Incommoding (DC Code § 22–1307).
That arrest number includes 16 Members of Congress.
— U.S. Capitol Police (@CapitolPolice) July 19, 2022
This comes after California Democrat Rep. Judy Chu was arrested by U.S. Capitol Police during a pro-choice protest for crowding, obstruction, or incommoding.
The department said that protesters blocked the intersection of First Street and Constitution Avenue beside both the Capitol and Supreme Court buildings. Capitol police arrested 181 people after giving multiple warnings to demonstrators.
“The decision to march today was easy—I came out to march for the young rape survivor, the woman who cannot afford to travel to another state to access critical care, the mother with an ectopic pregnancy whose life is in danger. I came out to march for all of us,” Chu said in a tweet following her arrest.
WATCH:
Proud to join activists and community leaders today to say loud and clear – we WON’T back down. We will NOT go back. #bansoffourbodieshttps://t.co/c9UOQNywFu
— Judy Chu (@RepJudyChu) June 30, 2022
Last week, the Supreme Court released its decision in the highly-anticipated case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.
The court voted in favor of overturning Roe v Wade, the landmark case that legalized abortion.
In early May, a draft majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito was leaked to Politico and it set off a firestorm.
“Roe was egregiously wrong from the start,” Alito wrote in the leaked draft.
“We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled,” he wrote in the document. “It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives. We, therefore, hold the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion. Roe and Casey must be overruled, and the authority to regulate abortion must be returned to the people and their elected representatives.”
Shortly after the May 2nd leak, Chief Justice Roberts ordered the marshal of the court to probe the incident and find out who was responsible for it. At the time, Roberts said the intent of the leak was to “undermine the integrity of our operations.”
“It will not succeed,” he pledged.
