Ted Cruz Takes a Stand Against Controversial Obama Nominee on Senate Floor: ‘Mr. President…’

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Tuesday took a strong stance against President Barack Obama’s nominee to head the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, calling the nomination “insulting to law enforcement officers everywhere.”

Cruz’s opposition to Debo Adegbile’s nomination stems from the man’s time with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. During that time, Adegbile volunteered to advocate for Mumia Abu-Jamal, who was convicted of murdering Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner in 1981. As Townhall’s Katie Pavlich notes, attorneys with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund were able to get Abu-Jamal’s death sentence overturned.

"Mr. President, this is insulting to law enforcement officers everywhere. I stand with the Fraternal Order of Police in opposition to Debo Adegbile,” Cruz said from the Senate floor Tuesday.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during the news conference on alternative gun legislation on Wednesday, April 17, 2013. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

After running through some of the details of the Abu-Jamal case, Cruz argued Adegbile took part in “extreme and radical advocacy” rather than legal representation.

“They even went so far as to travel to France to hold multiple rallies for Abu-Jamal,” he said. “This prompted the House of Representatives in 2006 to vote 368-31 to condemn the murder of Officer Daniel Faulkner.”

“After fanning those flames of racial tension in the court of public opinion, Adegbile pressed aggressive arguments on race in our courts of law. Thankfully, states and federal courts rejected those arguments,” Cruz added.

The Texas Republican noted several times that the Fraternal Order of Police also strongly oppose the Adegbile’s nomination. The FOP sent a blistering letter to President Obama back in January expressing their disgust.

"We all should agree that violent criminals should be punished and we all should agree that those who go out of their way to celebrate, to lionize, convicted cop killers are not suitable for major leadership roles at the Department of Justice," Cruz said.

Watch the entire speech here: