Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) tried to take a stand against Facebook, a private company, and in defense of the First Amendment on Saturday, or so it seems. But it did not go over well on Twitter.

Here is what he wrote: “Am no fan of [Alex] Jones — among other things he has a habit of repeatedly slandering my Dad by falsely and absurdly accusing him of killing JFK — but who the hell made Facebook the arbiter of political speech? Free speech includes views you disagree with. #1A.”

Am no fan of Jones — among other things he has a habit of repeatedly slandering my Dad by falsely and absurdly accusing him of killing JFK — but who the hell made Facebook the arbiter of political speech? Free speech includes views you disagree with. #1A https://t.co/RC5v4SHaiI — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 28, 2018

His decision to use Alex Jones‘ recent Facebook ban, though, turned out to be ill-advised because Twitter users used the opportunity to rip Cruz and his tweet to shreds, especially the part where Facebook is a private company an in the words of author and commentator Evan Siegfried “First Amendment applies to government regulation of speech only. Saying Facebook’s suspension of InfoWars/Alex Jones is a free speech violation is shameless pandering.”

Some also pointed out even if Cruz’s argument wasn’t spurious, a Sandy Hook truther like Jones is an odd person to decide to defend.

Here is just some of the pile-up going on at Twitter Saturday morning:

proud of Ted for supporting NFL players' right to kneel https://t.co/TMXr03fBh5 — Ashley Feinberg (@ashleyfeinberg) July 28, 2018

The #1A free speech clause doesn't apply to Facebook's terms of service. Nor does it protect scammers and propagandists from being held accountable. You know this, and yet you're lying to your followers to protect a Sandy Hook denier. Why? https://t.co/GqukjiKESa — Bob Cesca (@bobcesca_go) July 28, 2018

Would expect somebody who boasts about carrying the Constitution in their pocket to know that the First Amendment applies to government regulation of speech only. Saying Facebook’s suspension of InfoWars/Alex Jones is a free speech violation is shameless pandering https://t.co/sdAyvWJKmB — Evan Siegfried (@evansiegfried) July 28, 2018

lol, US Senator says private companies can’t establish guidelines for content https://t.co/ShXdZ2oDvU — Eric Boehlert (@EricBoehlert) July 28, 2018

Do you simply “disagree” with Jones that your dad killed JFK? https://t.co/Vm59sL68Gj — Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) July 28, 2018

Ted Cruz bravely standing up for the man who says th Sandy Hook shootings were a hoax https://t.co/vQ7HdkSVVL — Oliver Willis (@owillis) July 28, 2018

Free speech doesn't apply to private companies like Facebook, but you knew that https://t.co/g5STShK9Vp — Brandon Friedman (@BFriedmanDC) July 28, 2018

Unless, of course, that speech involves something Ted disagrees with, like kneeling for the Anthem. Also, Facebook is a private company and can monitor itself however it pleases. It’s not a free-speech issue. https://t.co/YHTbuMUuKe — Kelly Scaletta (@KellyScaletta) July 28, 2018

[image via screengrab]

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