Sen. Ted Cruz has acknowledged flying to Mexico with his family, saying he made the trip to please his daughters, even as his state reels from a historic storm that has left hundreds of thousands of people without power and safe drinking water.
The Houston Police Department confirmed to ABC News that Cruz's staff contacted police personnel on Wednesday requesting assistance upon the senator's arrival at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport, though they did not specify what type of assistance.Police said he arrived at Terminal E and officers "monitored his movements" through the terminal.Cruz was headed to Cancun, Mexico, for a long-planned family vacation, various media outlets had reported, including CNN and Fox News.Cruz's office did not respond to multiple requests for comment from ABC News Thursday. However, the Republican lawmaker defended himself in a statement Thursday afternoon saying he went to Mexico to take his two daughters, Caroline and Catherine, on a trip with friends."This has been an infuriating week for Texans...Like millions of Texans, our family lost heat and power too,' Cruz opened his statement."With school cancelled for the week, our girls asked to take a trip with friends. Wanting to be a good dad, I flew down with them last night and am flying back this afternoon," he said."My staff and I are in constant communication with state and local leaders to get to the bottom of what happened in Texas. We want our power back, our water on, and our homes warm. My team and I will continue using all our resources to keep Texans informed and safe," Cruz added.Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/Sipa USA via AP, FILESen. Ted Cruz speaks to reporters during a break in the impeachment proceedings against former President Donald Trump at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Feb. 13, 2021.Critics slammed the senator on Twitter after photos emerged on social media of a man who appears to be Cruz aboard a plane.MORE: Texas' power outages, water shortages put bigger strain on hospitals The Lone Star state is in the midst of a crisis in the wake of a powerful storm that started Sunday, creating widespread power outages and burst pipes. Nearly 500,000 customers in Texas remained without power Thursday morning.On Tuesday, Cruz acknowledged the devastation tweeting, "A blizzard strikes Texas & our state shuts down. Not good."MORE: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reacts to Ted Cruz's tweet on GameStop: 'You almost had me murdered' Texas Democrats called on Cruz to resign for seemingly abandoning his constituents in the midst of the storm.Texas Democratic Party chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said, "Ted Cruz jetting off to Mexico while Texans remain dying in the cold isn't surprising but it is deeply disturbing and disappointing.""The Texas Democratic Party calls on Ted Cruz to resign or be expelled from office… We must restore ethics, competence, and a government that works for the people," the group said in a statement.Source : abcnews.go.com