Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) came out swinging Wednesday morning, saying on Morning Joe that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is “crap,” and that the Texas senator should apologize for his 2013 vote against a Hurricane Sandy relief bill as Hurricane Harvey tears through Cruz’s own state.

Earlier this week, Cruz defended his vote against Sandy relief, saying that the bill contained too much “pork,” and that two-thirds of the funding bill had nothing to do with Sandy. But Cruz’s characterization of the bill is wholly incorrect, as a number of outlets have noted in recent days.

What Cruz sees as the “pork” in the bill included long-term infrastructure projects in New York and New Jersey, as well as a small amount of funding for damages to the Smithsonian that occurred when heavy rains and strong winds hit Washington D.C. at the time.

“Word association game. Ted Cruz, go,” Morning Joe host Scarborough said as he welcomed Christie to the program Wednesday morning.


“Crap,” Christie said immediately. “He talked about playing politics. That’s what he did with people’s lives in 2012 and 2013. He was playing politics to try and make himself look like the most conservative guy in town.”

Cruz’s characterization of the bill is “dead wrong,” Christie said. “He knows it.”

“He should stand up and say, ‘You know what, I was wrong. I was wrong in 2012. It was the wrong thing to do, and now I hope that the people of New Jersey and New York are willing to let bygones be bygones and vote for relief for Texas,’” Christie said. “I’ll tell you, that’s exactly what New Jersey is going to do.”

Scarborough asked Christie where he thinks Cruz got the two-thirds figure, and Christie said Cruz “just made it up.”


“Ted is particularly good at that. He just made it up. You know it and I know it. He made it up because it sounded good,” the governor said. “The truly disgraceful part of what we just saw is he is not telling the truth standing in a recovery center where people are suffering, and it’s just not right.”

The reaction from the New York and New Jersey politicians, many from his own party, is yet another lesson for Cruz about the New York values Cruz derided in a presidential debate last year, when he shared the stage with then presidential candidates Christie and Trump.

“Drop dead, Ted,” The New York Daily News proclaimed at the time. “Hey. Cruz: You don’t like N.Y. values? Go back to Canada!”

Later, they went with the simple and beautiful, “Take the FU Train, Ted!”

Today's front page… TAKE THE F U TRAIN, TED. @TedCruz jeered in bungled Bronx tour: https://t.co/xLpyQHLCJO pic.twitter.com/ECax7A91Pc — New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) April 7, 2016

This week, as Hurricane Harvey tears through Cruz’s home state, New Yorkers and their neighbors want Cruz to know they forgive—but they don’t forget.


“Ted Cruz & Texas cohorts voted vs NY/NJ aid after Sandy but I’ll vote 4 Harvey aid. NY wont abandon Texas. 1 bad turn doesnt deserve another,” Rep. Pete King (R-NY) tweeted Saturday. “As lifelong NYer w/ NY values I will vote for emergency Harvey $ for Ted Cruz’s constituents. Above all, true Americans must stand together.”

Ted Cruz & Texas cohorts voted vs NY/NJ aid after Sandy but I'll vote 4 Harvey aid. NY wont abandon Texas. 1 bad turn doesnt deserve another — Rep. Pete King (@RepPeteKing) August 27, 2017

As lifelong NYer w/ NY values I will vote for emergency Harvey $ for Ted Cruz's constituents. Above all, true Americans must stand together. — Rep. Pete King (@RepPeteKing) August 27, 2017

Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ) also took shots at Cruz and the rest of the Texas delegation (all but one Texas Republican voted against sandy relief), echoing King and Christie on Twitter Monday.

#HarveyStorm devastation in Houston area will require federal $$ to recover, rebuild. Sandy victims in NJ/NY know too well challenges ahead — Frank LoBiondo (@RepLoBiondo) August 28, 2017

Despite my TX colleagues refusal to support aid in #SouthJersey time of need, I will support emergency disaster $$ for those impacted — Frank LoBiondo (@RepLoBiondo) August 28, 2017

“#HarveyStorm devastation in Houston area will require federal $$ to recover, rebuild. Sandy victims in NJ/NY know too well challenges ahead,” LoBiondo said. “Despite my TX colleagues refusal to support aid in #SouthJersey time of need, I will support emergency disaster $$ for those impacted.”