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A 2016 rival says Ted Cruz's supporters are bombarding him with 'vulgar' phone calls
(AP)Rep. Pete King accused Ted Cruz supporters of making harassing phone calls to his congressional staff.
Rep. Peter King (R-New York) sent a statement on Friday accusing supporters of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) of hurling "vulgar, rabid and adolescent type" attacks at his office.
King, who has said he's considering launching a presidential campaign, began his statement by claiming he felt obligated to send it out on behalf of his staff, "particularly the female members and young interns." He claimed his office was bombarded with calls from Cruz supporters after he criticized the senator's presidential campaign announcement earlier this week.
"The puerile language used is what most kids outgrow and move beyond when they reach sophomore year in high school. Clearly these Cruz supporters suffer from severe cases of arrested development. The fact that women and young interns in my office have to listen to these perverse rantings is particularly shameful," King said.
King issued a scathing critique of Cruz after the Texan launched his White House bid on Monday. In an appearance on CNN, King accused Cruz of bearing the "marks of a carnival barker" and called him "a guy with a big mouth and no results."
In the CNN interview, King was also asked how he would respond if Cruz were selected to be the Republican presidential nominee.
"I hope that day never comes," King said.
In his statement Friday, King claimed those comments set the phone lines of his congressional office ablaze.
King did concede that "obviously Senator Cruz cannot be held responsible for all his supporters," but he added, "I can not imagine supporters of Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, Lindsey Graham, John Kasich, Marco Rubio, or other candidates reacting so disgracefully."
"We must ask why he has such an unusual appeal to this low denominator in American politics," King added of Cruz.
A spokesman for Cruz's campaign told the Washington Post, "Since you won't find a clip or a quote of Senator Cruz 'returning fire' on a Republican colleague, we won't start now."
Read King's full statement below:
STATEMENT OF CONGRESSMAN PETE KING REGARDING CERTAIN TED CRUZ SUPPORTERS
"I owe it to my staff - particularly the female members and young interns - to make this statement.
Earlier this week I made comments critical of Ted Cruz. I stand by those comments. I also understand and welcome return fire against me. That's the way democracy works - and I am certainly used to that in New York politics.
What I do find revealing is the number of vulgar, rabid and adolescent type - phone calls my office has received from Cruz supporters. The puerile language used is what most kids outgrow and move beyond when they reach sophomore year in high school. Clearly these Cruz supporters suffer from severe cases of arrested development. The fact that women and young interns in my office have to listen to these perverse rantings is particularly shameful.
Obviously Senator Cruz cannot be held responsible for all his supporters. But in all the years I have been in politics and government and all the controversies in which I have been involved, this low level of commentary has only occurred twice before - when I criticized Sen. Cruz during his 2013 government shutdown and when I criticized Michael Jackson in 2009.
Frankly I can not imagine supporters of Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, Lindsey Graham, John Kasich, Marco Rubio, or other candidates reacting so disgracefully. Clearly, Sen. Cruz has many decent and honorable supporters. At the same time though we must ask why he has such an unusual appeal to this low denominator in American politics."
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