Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Saturday delivered water to people in need, after returning from a trip to Cancun.
Cruz was seen in photographs he posted online carrying water and placing it in vehicles. The lawmaker was also seen visiting with people who drove to a location to get water.
Packs of water bottles have been a common sight in Texas in recent days, as the state suffers from an unusual stretch of freezing temperatures, leading to an overstressed power grid and issues with water supply.
Cruz used the hashtag “Texas Strong” with the photographs. And he shared a post from the city of Austin that told the public the city was distributing nearly 11,000 cases of water to critical facilities and vulnerable populations.
A day later, Cruz helped serve Houston barbecue to firefighters, reporters, and law enforcement officers to thank them for their work during the snow storms.
Cruz faced criticism last week for jetting to Cancun, a Mexican resort town, while his state was reeling from the inclement weather.
#TexasStrong pic.twitter.com/gK4DHtsvLU
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) February 21, 2021
Served some delicious #Houston bbq to @FirefightersHOU, @IAFFNewsDesk, & local law enforcement yesterday with @TheNew93Q to thank our first responders following these unprecedented snow storms. pic.twitter.com/vn396kTgFR
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) February 21, 2021
Cruz flew back the next day.
Cruz said he “wanted to be a good dad” and flew to Mexico to accompany his daughters, who expressed a desire to take a trip with friends after school was canceled for the week.
After his return, he said the excursion was “obviously a mistake.”
“In hindsight, I wouldn’t have done it,” Cruz said. “I was trying to be a dad and all of us have made decisions, when you have two girls who have been cold for two days and haven’t had heat or power and they’re saying, ‘Hey look, we don’t have school, let’s get out of here.'”
The furor over the trip started when photographs circulated of a man who resembled Cruz at an airport. The story developed further when reporters, citing sources within United Airlines, shared details of Cruz’s trip.
United is investigating the leak of the details.
Members of both parties criticized Cruz for flying out of Texas when he did, and some Democrats called for him to resign.
“Ted Cruz jetting off to Mexico while Texans remain dying in the cold isn’t surprising but it is deeply disturbing and disappointing,” Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa said in a statement. The party noted that it was the 21st time that Texas Democrats have called for Cruz to step down or be expelled from office.
