On Thursday, United States Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) made an ill-conceived comment to Senator Ted Cruz (R-Tex.).
Swalwell criticized Cruz for standing with parents who oppose the Justice Department’s activation of the FBI to monitor parents who oppose school board decisions regarding curriculum. For example, a common complaint is opposition to teaching critical race theory in schools.
“Just Ted Cruz defending Nazis,” tweeted Swalwell, along with a video of Cruz questioning Attorney General Merrick Garland.
Swalwell’s comment that in supporting a parent who gave the Nazi salute, Cruz was, in effect, defending Nazis, was a reference to a complaint to the Justice Department by the National School Board Association, who cited instances of Nazi salutes during board meetings, which they deemed as a form of domestic terrorism.
Cruz did not appreciate Swalwell’s comments and replied, “You are frequently a liar (when you’re not sleeping with Chinese spies).” Cruz’ response refers to reports that Swalwell was compromised early in his political career by a Chinese spy.
At the time, The Daily Wire reported that a Communist agent met Swalwell through a student organization in 2014, and eventually became an affiliate who would bring in top donors to the campaign. After learning of the close relationship, the FBI determined the situation a security risk and alerted Swalwell in 2015.
Cruz, who has stated that the Biden Administration is heavy-handed in its rollout of new policies and executive orders, seized upon the irony of Swalwell’s comments and added in his response:
“But here, you’re lie is exactly 180 degrees false. I was defending the right of citizens to denounce authoritarian policies. In other words, to OPPOSE Nazis (or petty tyrants), not to support them.”
This is not the first time a Democrat accused a Republican of being a Nazi.
During the 2020 election for Georgia’s 7th Congressional District, Democrat Carolyn Bourdeaux accused her Republican opponent of embracing Nazi ideology.
“There is something deeply wrong when a sitting president feels emboldened to call torch-bearing neo-Nazis ‘very fine people’ after seeing them chant ‘Jews will not replace us,'” Bourdeaux said.
Scroll down to leave a comment and share your thoughts.