Texas Dem predicts Ted Cruz won't stand up for freedom in Ferguson, but is proven wrong hours later

Just hours after Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) predicted that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) would not speak out against government overreach in Ferguson, Missouri, Cruz released a statement proving Castro wrong.

Late Wednesday, during another night of rioting in Ferguson to protest the shooting of an 18-year old black student, Castro issued this mocking challenge on Twitter:

I'm sure that Ted Cruz and Rand Paul are going speak up for the liberty and freedom of the ppl of Ferguson against govt overreach soon..

— Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) August 14, 2014

Castro was not more specific, although his tweet seems to imply that Cruz does not object to either the shooting incident, or police efforts to suppress the rioting over the last few days.

But by Thursday morning, Cruz had released a statement that said the events in Ferguson show more work is needed to "keep our communities safe and free." Like many other politicians have, Cruz called for an end to the violence of the last few days, but said afterwards, the events surrounding the shooting of Michael Brown needed to be investigated.

"Once the unrest is brought to an end, we should examine carefully what happened to ensure that justice is served," he said.

Cruz also criticized the police in Missouri for arresting two reporters on Wednesday night. "Reporters should never be detained — a free press is too important — simply for doing their jobs," he said.

Cruz directed people to his Facebook statement via Twitter:

Together, we should all mourn the loss of life in Ferguson, MO, and work to keep our communities safe and free: https://t.co/CEDpk0xIcf

— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) August 14, 2014