Story highlights Republicans say Cruz was way out of bounds

Dems attribute the dustup to presidential politics

(CNN) Several senior Republican senators strongly rebuked Texas Sen. Ted Cruz on Sunday for his controversial floor speech charging Senate Majority Mitch McConnell with lying about whether the Senate would vote to revive the Export-Import Bank.

"I think it was outside the realm of Senate behavior," said Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, who has clashed with Cruz in the past. "I would never contemplate going to the floor of the Senate and impugning the integrity of another senator. Just not something we do here. I really think it was a very wrong thing to do."

"Squabbling and sanctimony may be tolerated in other venues -- or perhaps on the campaign trail -- but they have no place among colleagues in the United States Senate," warned Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah in a lengthy floor speech reprimanding Cruz.

As President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Hatch was tasked by GOP leaders with formally responding to the caustic nature of Cruz's speech on Friday, which many believe violated a Senate rule against impugning the integrity of a fellow senator.

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