Sen. Ted Cruz Calls for Probe into Biden's Infrastructure Law Signs

President Joe Biden's $1.2 trillion infrastructure law, signed in 2021, stands as his signature domestic achievement, supported by both Democrats and a significant number of Republicans. However, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was not among its supporters. The law has brought about numerous construction projects across the United States, which prominently display signs stating, "Project Funded By President Joe Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law."

Sen. Ted Cruz has criticized these signs as "nothing more than campaign yard signs," alleging that President Biden "unilaterally rebranded" the bipartisan law. Cruz is pushing for a government investigation into whether the Biden administration violated the Hatch Act by using taxpayer funds to promote the law's accomplishments. In a letter to Politico, Cruz accused the Biden administration of "highly politicizing" the infrastructure law. He has formally requested the Office of the Special Counsel's Hampton Dellinger to investigate a possible Hatch Act violation.

White House spokesperson Robyn Patterson defended the project signs, stating they "promote transparency and inform taxpayers how federal dollars are being spent." Patterson also criticized Cruz for not supporting the infrastructure law, which would allocate $31 billion to address infrastructure needs in Texas. Cruz further claimed that the "Investing in America" logo was designed to resemble the Biden-Harris campaign logo.

The infrastructure law provides federal funding for significant upgrades to bridges, tunnels, highways, and rail infrastructure. President Biden uses the law to set himself apart from former President Donald Trump, who never proposed a workable infrastructure bill. Despite this, some voters remain skeptical about the law's effectiveness.

A Politico-Morning Consult Poll from April showed 40% of registered voters favoring Biden on infrastructure and job creation, compared to 37% for Trump. In seven battleground states, Biden's edge over Trump on infrastructure was just six points (42% to 36%).

Meanwhile, Republicans and conservative activists argue that Biden's executive order to boost voter registration is unconstitutional and an attempt to interfere in upcoming elections. A GOP political action committee's fundraising email claims the order compels federal agencies to act as Biden’s personal "Get-Out-The-Vote" machine. A Republican-led House committee has issued subpoenas to agency directors, and GOP secretaries of state have asked the Supreme Court to challenge the order.

There has been no indication that the order favors voters of one party over another. White House spokesperson Robyn Patterson affirmed that the administration is committed to protecting voting rights for all eligible citizens, regardless of political affiliation.

Biden's executive order, issued on March 7, 2021, aims to ensure that voter registration and voting are straightforward for all eligible citizens. The order directed the update of the federal website vote.gov to provide voting information in over a dozen languages and connect visitors with state and local election offices. It also called for the Department of Defense to establish procedures for active-duty military personnel to register, update voter registration, or request an absentee ballot annually, and for the Department of Justice to provide educational materials about registration and voting to those in federal custody preparing for release.

Republicans raised concerns when the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service informed state agencies that costs for providing voter registration services could be reimbursed under SNAP at the 50 percent level. Wisconsin Republican Rep. Bryan Steil, chairman of the Committee on House Administration, has sent letters requesting documents related to the executive order and imposed a two-week deadline for compliance. Steil labeled the federal order as “another attempt by the Biden Administration to tilt the scales ahead of 2024.”

A White House official mentioned that the Office of Management and Budget had sent an initial response and that other agencies were working on responding to the committee when subpoenas were issued. Federal agencies have announced steps to comply with the executive order, though they have not published their proposals.

Levitt, a constitutional law expert, described the order as groundbreaking but limited in scope, noting that military recruitment offices were the only ones facilitating voter registration before Biden's order. Kansas and New Mexico have designated two Native American colleges run by the U.S. Department of Interior as voter registration agencies, while Kentucky and Michigan will designate Veterans Administration offices in their states.

West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner sent a letter in May 2022 asking Biden to rescind the order and later issued a statement refusing to accept any voter registration forms collected by federal agencies. Warner, along with eight other GOP secretaries of state, filed a brief in the U.S. Supreme Court requesting that the justices take up a case challenging the order. However, the Supreme Court rebuffed the plea to decide the case by the end of June and will not consider it until their first private conference in early fall.

David Becker, a former Justice Department lawyer, remarked on the timing of the intensified criticism, describing the federal order as an effort to ensure eligible citizens can easily register or update their registration, thereby benefiting election integrity and participation.

In parallel, prosecutors in the federal classified documents case against Donald Trump are advocating for a new gag order to limit Trump's statements about agents involved in the Mar-a-Lago search in 2022. They claim Trump has mischaracterized the FBI's policy on the use of deadly force during the search and argue that his false claims could lead to threats and harassment against federal agents. Following the Mar-a-Lago search, a Trump supporter carried out an armed attack on an FBI office after Trump's statements on Truth Social.

Conservative Bias:

Well, folks, here we go again with the liberal hypocrisy! Sen. Ted Cruz is absolutely right to call out the Biden administration for turning the infrastructure law into a shameless campaign tool. These signs plastered everywhere are nothing but taxpayer-funded propaganda, pushing Biden's name and agenda in our faces. And let's not forget, this so-called "bipartisan" law is just another way for the Democrats to funnel money into their pet projects while pretending to care about infrastructure. Biden didn't even have the decency to propose a workable plan during his campaign; he just slapped his name on something and called it a day. And now, they're potentially violating the Hatch Act, using our hard-earned dollars for political gain. The White House's defense is laughable—"transparency," they say. More like "transparency" in showing how they waste our money! And don't get me started on this executive order for voter registration. It's a blatant attempt to rig the upcoming elections in their favor. The Democrats are turning federal agencies into their own personal voter registration machines. It's unconstitutional, it's unethical, and it’s exactly what we’ve come to expect from this administration. The GOP is right to challenge this every step of the way. And as for the gag order on Trump? Just another desperate attempt to silence the truth and protect their own corrupt activities. Wake up, America!

Liberal Bias:

Once again, the Republicans are showing their true colors by attacking President Biden's efforts to improve our nation's infrastructure and protect voting rights. Sen. Ted Cruz's baseless accusations about the infrastructure law signs are nothing but a distraction from his own failure to support a bill that would bring $31 billion to Texas. Cruz is more interested in playing politics than helping his constituents. These signs are about transparency, informing taxpayers where their money is going—a concept apparently foreign to Cruz and his cronies. And let's talk about the executive order to boost voter registration. It's a necessary step to ensure that every eligible citizen can exercise their right to vote, especially those in marginalized communities. But of course, the GOP is up in arms, falsely claiming it's an attempt to interfere in elections. They can't stand the idea of more people voting because they know their policies are unpopular. The Republican-led House committee's subpoenas and the GOP secretaries of state's lawsuit are just more partisan attacks designed to suppress the vote. And now, they're trying to gag Trump to prevent him from inciting violence and spreading lies about the FBI. The man is a threat to our democracy, and yet Republicans continue to defend him. It's time to focus on real issues and stop these partisan games.