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Sen. Cruz: The Mueller Report Was Going to Be Salvation for the Democrats, Now They’re Pivoting for Other Investigations

Discusses conclusion of the Mueller investigation, Golan Heights resolution, and upcoming Senate hearing to investigate plane crashes with CNN’s Dana Bash

HOUSTON, Texas - U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, on Sunday appeared on CNN's ‘State of the Union' where he discussed his reaction to the conclusion of the Mueller investigation, his bill to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and the upcoming Senate hearing to examine the safety of the commercial air transportation system and ways to improve it. Watch the full interview here.

"I think the report needs to be made public and released to the Congress, and it needs to be released to the American people," Sen. Cruz said. "This has consumed two years of the American people's time and we need to have full transparency. We need to know the special counsel's conclusions. [...] If anyone thinks that the Mueller report being concluded is the end of the Democrats' attempts to take down President Trump, they haven't been paying attention the last two years. You know, it was striking as I listened to your interview with Congressman Adler that he was immediately pivoting away. Okay, fine. You know, yesterday the Mueller report was the end all and be all. It was going to be the salvation for the Democrats and destroy President Trump. Now, you can already see the Democrats pivoting away saying, ‘Okay, we need to do other investigations.' It's got to be someone else."

When Dana Bash asked Sen. Cruz about his response to President Trump's recent announcement recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, he highlighted his legislation that would write the recognition into law.

"The Golan Heights were taken in 1967 during the six-day war. A defensive war where Israel was attacked. If you look at what's happening in the Middle East, no one in their right mind would want to see the Golan Heights go to Bashar al-Assad, go to Syria, or go to Iranian proxies, or the Russians. It's legitimately part of Israel," Sen. Cruz said. "I'm glad the president took my counsel and the counsel of others and recognized this. Indeed, I hope that Congress will take up the legislation I've introduced, and put the president's determination in the U.S. law because that is in the security interest of Israel, and critically it is in the security interest of the United States. The president did the right thing here."

Sen. Cruz then addressed his concerns regarding the two recent plane crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia, and the FAA's decision to ground 737 Max aircraft operated by U.S. airlines. This week, as chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation and Space, Sen. Cruz will chair a hearing examining the safety of the commercial air transportation system and ways to improve it.

"I, like everybody else, am deeply concerned about these two crashes that took over 300 lives," Sen. Cruz said. "And so, I'm chairing a hearing this week with the acting head of the FAA and the relevant government officials to inquire really what went on. [...] We shouldn't jump to conclusions. But when you have over 300 people whose lives have been taken, it was the right thing to do to ground the planes. I called for them to be grounded early on, and the FAA ultimately agreed with that determination. But, our priority has to be the safety of the flying public."

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