Ted Cruz calls Democrats' push for gun control 'offensive'

Following the Senate Democrats' 15-hour filibuster in demand of a vote on gun control legislation, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) took to the floor Thursday to slam such moves as being a "sideshow."

"This is not a gun control issue," Cruz said. "This is a terrorism issue."

Cruz added that it was "offensive to see Democrat after Democrat prattling on about the NRA … And it is offensive to play political games with the Constitutional rights of American citizens instead of getting serious about keeping this country safe."

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up

Cruz encouraged the Senate to take up the Expatriate Terrorist Act, which would revoke U.S. citizenship from anyone fighting for or supporting the Islamic State, as well as legislation that would prevent refugees from countries controlled by ISIS or al Qaeda from entering the United States.

While the Orlando shooter indeed pledged loyalty to ISIS, he also expressed solidarity with the Boston Marathon bombers, as well as for Hezbollah and al Nusra front, which are enemies of ISIS. The FBI is still working to understand "what role anti-gay bigotry may have played" in the shooting. Jeva Lange