I've never worked with John Boehner; "I don't know the man," @TedCruz says: https://t.co/jxozGdVxRC https://t.co/9AS5WJxsY4
— CBSN (@CBSNLive) April 28, 2016
Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz
Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzGarland's AG nomination delayed by GOP roadblocks The Hill's 12:30 Report: Washington on high alert as QAnon theory marks March 4 The Memo: Is Trump mounting a comeback — or finally fading? MORE on Thursday dismissed John Boehner
John Andrew BoehnerBoehner book jacket teases slams against Cruz, Trump Cruz hits back at Boehner for telling him to 'go f--- yourself' John Boehner tells Cruz to 'go f--- yourself' in unscripted audiobook asides: report MORE’s criticism of him, casting the remarks as just another example of the GOP establishment targeting him.
Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzGarland's AG nomination delayed by GOP roadblocks The Hill's 12:30 Report: Washington on high alert as QAnon theory marks March 4 The Memo: Is Trump mounting a comeback — or finally fading? MORE on Thursday dismissed John BoehnerJohn Andrew BoehnerBoehner book jacket teases slams against Cruz, Trump Cruz hits back at Boehner for telling him to 'go f--- yourself' John Boehner tells Cruz to 'go f--- yourself' in unscripted audiobook asides: report MORE’s criticism of him, casting the remarks as just another example of the GOP establishment targeting him."He allowed his inner Trump to come out," Cruz said of BoehnerJohn Andrew BoehnerBoehner book jacket teases slams against Cruz, Trump Cruz hits back at Boehner for telling him to 'go f--- yourself' John Boehner tells Cruz to 'go f--- yourself' in unscripted audiobook asides: report MORE, linking the former House Speaker to Donald Trump
Donald TrumpHouse passes voting rights and elections reform bill DEA places agent seen outside Capitol during riot on leave Georgia Gov. Kemp says he'd 'absolutely' back Trump as 2024 nominee MORE.
John Andrew BoehnerBoehner book jacket teases slams against Cruz, Trump Cruz hits back at Boehner for telling him to 'go f--- yourself' John Boehner tells Cruz to 'go f--- yourself' in unscripted audiobook asides: report MORE, linking the former House Speaker to Donald TrumpDonald TrumpHouse passes voting rights and elections reform bill DEA places agent seen outside Capitol during riot on leave Georgia Gov. Kemp says he'd 'absolutely' back Trump as 2024 nominee MORE.ADVERTISEMENT
Boehner on Wednesday night reportedly called Cruz “Lucifer in the flesh" and a “miserable son of a bitch.”
Cruz noted that Trump reportedly wrote a $100,000 check to the Congressional Leadership Fund, the GOP super-PAC linked to Boehner, in 2012.
"Donald Trump has been funding John Boehner, and he has also been funding Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid
Harry Mason ReidWho is the Senate parliamentarian and why is she important? Trumpists' assaults on Republicans who refuse to drink the Kool-Aid will help Democrats The Jan. 6 case for ending the Senate filibuster MORE," Cruz said.
Harry Mason ReidWho is the Senate parliamentarian and why is she important? Trumpists' assaults on Republicans who refuse to drink the Kool-Aid will help Democrats The Jan. 6 case for ending the Senate filibuster MORE," Cruz said."If you like what John Boehner, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have done, Donald Trump is your guy.”
Ted Cruz responds to Boehner's "Lucifer" comment: "He allowed his inner Trump to come out." https://t.co/OrbvQpjUpa https://t.co/OfcKCufbG1
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) April 28, 2016
Cruz said he was surprised Boehner felt such vitriol, noting they rarely crossed paths.
"I've never worked with John Boehner. Truth of the matter is, I don't know the man," he said.
"I've met John Boehner two or three times in my life. If I have said 50 words in my life to John Boehner, I'd be surprised, and every one of them have consisted of pleasantries.”
Cruz said that during the 2013 ObamaCare fight, he reached out to Boehner and offered a meeting with Sen. Mike Lee
Michael (Mike) Shumway LeeGarland's AG nomination delayed by GOP roadblocks Biden reignites war powers fight with Syria strike Bipartisan group of senators introduces bill to rein in Biden's war powers MORE (R-Utah), adding that Boehner rebuffed him.
Michael (Mike) Shumway LeeGarland's AG nomination delayed by GOP roadblocks Biden reignites war powers fight with Syria strike Bipartisan group of senators introduces bill to rein in Biden's war powers MORE (R-Utah), adding that Boehner rebuffed him. "If you're wondering who actually has stood up to Washington, I think John Boehner has made it crystal clear," Cruz said, pointing to Boehner calling himself a "texting buddy" of Trump.
"I have Democrat friends and Republican friends. I get along with almost everyone,” Boehner said during a Wednesday night event at Stanford University, according to The Stanford Daily. “But I have never worked with a more miserable son of a bitch in my life.”
Boehner and Cruz clashed amid standoffs with the Obama administration, most notably in 2013 when Cruz, as a freshman senator, pushed to defund ObamaCare and met with members of the conservative Freedom Caucus. The efforts eventually led to a government shutdown damaging the party's image. Later, Boehner reportedly Cruz a "jackass" over the situation.
