Ted Cruz: Clinton hits out at senator for leaving dog as Biden to declare Texas a ‘national disaster’

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Cruz responds to criticism following trip to Cancun

Texans are contending with the unforeseen consequences of the deadly winter storm that has left hundreds of thousands of people without power and millions without clean running water.

Firefighters have been faced with frozen water hydrants while trying to control fires, while a couple caring for their premature baby were forced to ration his oxygen tanks. Pets have been found abandoned in the snow.

Ted Cruz, meanwhile, has attempted to defend his decision to fly to Cancun, Mexico after returned home to jeering crowds. The US senator said he was just “trying to be a dad” by taking his daughters out of the freezing state to the popular holiday destination. He admitted that the decision was “obviously a mistake” amid calls for his resignation.

At least 56 people have been killed as a result of extreme weather conditions, including one man who was found frozen to death in his recliner.

• Man found frozen to death in his recliner in Texas as winter storm death toll rises
• Senator Red Cruz’s wife boasted about Cancun getaway to neighbours
• Surreal photos from Texas’ sub-zero weather: A frozen fish tank and icicles on a ceiling fan
• Pets are dying in Texas freeze as owners dump them outdoors in sub-zero temperatures
• Fear of parasites in water supply revived after winter storm damage

Key Points

• Weather delays 6 million Covid vaccine doses
• AOC raises $2 million for Texas relief as she travels to state to distribute supplies
• Boy, 11, dies of suspected hypothermia in unheated mobile home
• Hillary blasts Ted Cruz for leaving dog Snowflake behind on Cancun trip
• Cruz family accused of leaving poodle behind during Cancun trip

[19 February 2021 20:55 · Justin Vallejo]

AOC raises $2 million for Texas relief as she travels to state to distribute supplies

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will help distribute supplies and rally support for Texas residents hit by widespread power outages and freezing conditions during her visit to the state after raising more than $2 million for relief within 48 hours.

The New York congresswoman said she will meet with US Rep Sylvia Garcia of Houston to “distribute supplies and help amplify needs [and] solutions” on Friday.

“Charity isn’t a replacement for good governance, but we won’t turn away from helping people in need when things hit the fan,” she said on Twitter. “People understand that now is the time for collective action and doing what we can [with] whatever we’ve got.”

Alex Woodward has more.

[19 February 2021 21:25 · Justin Vallejo]

ICYMI: Hillary blasts Ted Cruz for leaving dog Snowflake behind on Cancun trip

Former secretary of state and 2016 Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton scorched Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz with a tweet, writing: "Don't vote for anyone you wouldn't trust with your dog."

While not explicitly naming Mr Cruz, it was clear that it was aimed at him. Ms Clinton was going off reports that Mr Cruz left his dog, Snowflake, behind as his family jetted off to Cancun, Mexico while Texans struggled to deal with power outages and freezing temperatures.

Journalist Michael Hardy tweeted out an image in which a poodle can be seen staring out the front door of Mr Cruz’s Houston home.

Gustaf Kilander reports.

[19 February 2021 21:50 · Justin Vallejo]

Houston Chronicle publishes scathing editorial telling Ted Cruz to resign (again)

The editorial board of The Houston Chronicle has called on Senator Ted Cruz to resign over his Cancun vacation scandal in a scathing editorial published on Friday.

Describing the Republican senator’s decision to take his family to Mexico as the state was lashed by severe winter weather as “foolish” and “callous”, the paper said that Texans’ anger with him “could power an entire electrical grid”.

Millions of Texans were suffering through record low temperatures with no electricity or potable water when Mr Cruz was spotted at Houston’s international airport boarding a flight to Cancun.

The editorial says the incident is “sadly telling of his approach to the job over the past eight years”.

[19 February 2021 22:29 · Justin Vallejo]

OPINION: Conservatives trying their hardest to defend Ted Cruz are embarrassing America

For Independent Voices, Clémence Michallon writes conservative commentators wasted no time leaping to Cruz’s rescue, doing some astounding mental gymnastics in the process.

“In their desperate attempt to defend his actions, they turned to an old trick: instead of providing evidence of why leaving Texas in its hour of dire need wasn’t objectively bad (because it is, in fact, objectively bad, and they know it), they focused instead on discrediting those doing the criticizing instead. Predictably, it didn’t take long until a familiar cry resonated in the distance: the overdone, hazy allegation that this was a case of ‘cancel culture’.”

[19 February 2021 22:56 · Justin Vallejo]

As power returns, Texas energy firms slowly emerge from deep freeze

Texas energy companies on Friday began preparing to resume oil and gas production after days of frozen shutdowns as electric power and water service slowly resumed at darkened oilfields and refineries.

It will take several days for oilfield crews to de-ice valves, restart systems and begin oil and gas production. U.S. Gulf Coast refiners are assessing damage to facilities. They face up to three weeks to restore most production, analysts said, with low water pressure, gas and power losses hampering operations.

Grid operator Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) said there is enough power generation in its system to return to normal operations as it ended energy emergency conditions.

More natural gas will soon be flowing. Chevron Corp and ConocoPhillips have begun restoring shale output, and Chevron will prioritize natural gas production. Texas oil and gas regulators and a DiamondBack Energy executive also reported that power was being restored to west Texas, where oil production was shut by record snowfall and power outages. - Reuters

[19 February 2021 23:31 · Justin Vallejo]

‘Say no to your kids’: Houston police chief slams Ted Cruz

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo blasted Texas Republican Senator and Houston resident Ted Cruz after he flew off to Cancun to avoid power outages and freezing temperatures in his home state.

“We’ve all made poor choices,” Mr Acevedo said while speaking to CNN, adding: “I think it’s a little tone-deaf. And sometimes you got to teach your kids the word ‘no’ and this probably would have been a good time to tell your kids ‘no, we’re blessed, but we have to wait till we get Texas on our feet’. Again, we’ve all made bad decisions sometimes. As a dad, maybe his heart got the best of him.”

Gustaf Kilander reports.