Ted Cruz accuses Mitch McConnell of lying

WASHINGTON — Fiery Sen. Ted Cruz delivered a sharp rebuke to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on the Senate floor Friday, during which he accused the Kentucky Republican of lying.

Cruz, a Texas Republican who is running for president, was mad that McConnell is allowing a vote on an amendment that would revive the Export-Import Bank, which Cruz opposes. He accused McConnell of lying when he told Republican senators last month that he did not make a deal with Democrats to allow a vote on the bank in exchange for securing Democratic votes to pass "fast track" trade authority in June.

"What we just saw today was an absolute demonstration that not only what he (McConnell) told every Republican senator, but what he told the press over and over and over again, was a simple lie," Cruz said. "We know now that when the majority leader looks us in the eyes and makes an explicit commitment, that he is willing to say things that he knows are false. That has consequences for how this body operates."

McConnell's office had no comment Friday.

Such harsh words are rare among senators, who pride themselves on the civility of their chamber. Cruz' accusation was even more startling because it was directed against his own party's leader.

Cruz was not only mad about the Export-Import vote, which is being allowed as part of the amendment process on a highway funding bill. He also was angry that McConnell is not allowing votes on amendments to strip Planned Parenthood of funding and to take away employer contributions for congressional aides' health coverage under Obamacare.

McConnell is only allowing votes on two amendments that are unrelated to highway funding. The first is the Export-Import Bank amendment and the second is a largely symbolic amendment to repeal Obamacare. Most Democrats favor reviving the bank while most Republicans want to undo President Obama's signature health care law.

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