Ted Cruz Jokes About Where He'd Send 90,000 IRS Employees After Abolishing the Federal Agency

COLUMBUS, Ohio (TheBlaze/AP) — Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz said if elected he would rescind "every single illegal and unconstitutional executive order" signed by President Barack Obama, begin investigating Planned Parenthood, "rip to shreds" the Iranian nuclear deal and order all federal agencies to end religious persecution of Christians — all on his first day in office.

Cruz was the first of three GOP presidential contenders speaking Saturday to a packed crowd at the annual summit of Americans for Prosperity, the conservative flagship of the Koch brothers.

Cruz peppered his fiery address with jokes, scriptural references and jabs at Obama and Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton.

He said he's the best choice among the GOP's vast field because he will always do what he says he's going to do.

Cruz joked he'd like to see the Internal Revenue Service discontinued — "we need to padlock that building!" — and would take its 90,000 employees and send them to guard the U.S.-Mexico border.

"To our friends in the media, I say that somewhat tongue in cheek," Cruz clarified. "Imagine you had traveled thousands of miles in the blazing sun. You're swimming across the Rio Grande. And the first thing you see is 90,000 IRS agents. You'd turn around and go home, too!"

Here's Cruz's speech. His comments about the IRS begin just after the 11:30 mark:

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