Senate

El Chapo’s lawyer fires back at Cruz: ‘Ludicrous’ to suggest drug lord will pay for wall

by Justin Wise - 02/17/19 12:59 PM ET

An attorney for Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman on Sunday dismissed GOP Sen. Ted Cruz’s (Texas) idea to make the convicted drug lord help pay for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

“Sen. Cruz surely knows that the government has seized none — not a penny — of Mr. Guzman’s assets so getting him to pay for the wall is ludicrous,” Guzman’s attorney, Jeffrey Lichtman, said in a statement to CNN.

{mosads}”There’s a better chance of Mr. Cruz paying for the wall.”

Lichtman would not comment on Guzman’s assets to CNN.

Guzmán was convicted on all counts, including narcotics trafficking, using a firearm in furtherance of his drug crimes and participating in a money laundering conspiracy, in New York last week. He is facing a mandatory life sentence in prison.

The U.S. government is reportedly seeking $14 billion from Guzmán as part of its prosecution of the drug kingpin.

Cruz responded to the conviction by calling for the passage of bill to make Guzman and other drug lords pay for President Trump’s long-promised border wall.

“America’s justice system prevailed today in convicting Joaquín Guzmán Loera, aka El Chapo, on all 10 counts,” Cruz tweeted. “It’s time to pass my EL CHAPO Act. I urge my Senate colleagues to take swift action on this crucial legislation.”

Cruz initially introduced The Ensuring Lawful Collection of Hidden Assets to Provide Order (EL CHAPO) Act in April 2017. The law is intended to take any money forfeited to the U.S. by Guzmán and other drug lords as a result of criminal prosecutions. It would direct those funds toward “border security assets” and the completion of a wall.

Cruz reintroduced the bill in early January.

Tags Donald Trump Ted Cruz