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Sen. Ted Cruz Demands Answers On FAA Flight Ban To Israel
CBS ^ | July 25, 2014 5:15 PM

Posted on 07/25/2014 5:13:16 PM PDT by SoConPubbie

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Questions remain about the Federal Aviation Administration’s ban on flights to Israel earlier this week and whether it was based on safety or politics. One U.S. senator is vowing to block Obama administration diplomatic appointments until he gets answers.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is blocking confirmation of ambassadors and other diplomatic nominees until the FAA explains why it blocked flights to Israel after a rocket landed a mile from the Tel Aviv airport.

“The timing was such that this ban on flights from America was announced at the same time that John Kerry arrived in the Middle East; at the same time that John Kerry was announcing $47 million for Gaza — much or all of which will end up in Hamas’ hands, and the combination had the effect of imposing an economic boycott on Israel,” Cruz told “The Situation Room.”

Cruz wants to know why Israel was singled out while commercial flights can pass over other hot spots, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and the Ukraine — where a Malaysia Airlines airplane was shot down killing 298 passengers.

He also wants to know whether the intent of the ban was to punish Israel or advance cease-fire efforts, CBS 2′s Marcia Kramer reported.

“The questions I asked is where did this decision come from? Was this a political decision driven by the White House or was it a decisions from the professional staff of the FAA,” Cruz said.

Meanwhile, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said the FAA overreacted.

“The FAA has to be understanding that they’re functioning in a political context here, and some have said the chances of Hamas being able to shoot down a plane are less than the chances of a plane actually crashing, so FAA should be careful,” Schumer told Kramer.

He believes the international community should support Israeli war efforts in order to bring about Middle East peace.

“Let Israel finish the job,” Schumer said. “Let them get rid of the rockets, let them get rid of the tunnels.”

Other area lawmakers were also weighing in on the issue.

“This is one in which security trumped everything else and it was done intelligently in a short period of time,” Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) said. “With all due respect to Sen. Cruz, he sees a political bogeyman behind every action. The FAA was looking at the question of security of U.S. citizens traveling abroad.”

The Cruz-imposed logjam is holding up the appointment of ambassadors to Russia, France, Norway, South Korea and Turkey, as well as appointments to arms control and nuclear proliferation organizations, Kramer reported.

At an event Friday, New Jersey’s other senator, Cory Booker, had plenty of time to pose for pictures with constituents, but his staff said he was pressed for time when Kramer asked to speak to him about the controversial issue.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: cruz; tedcruz
"If we must have an enemy at the head of Government, let it be one whom we can oppose, and for whom we are not responsible, who will not involve our party in the disgrace of his foolish and bad measures." - Alexander Hamilton
 
"We don't intend to turn the Republican Party over to the traitors in the battle just ended. We will have no more of those candidates who are pledged to the same goals as our opposition and who seek our support. Turning the Party over to the so-called moderates wouldn’t make any sense at all." -- President Ronald Reagan
 
"A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice." - Thomas Paine 1792
 
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." - Samuel Adams
 
"If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen." - Samuel Adams
 

1 posted on 07/25/2014 5:13:17 PM PDT by SoConPubbie
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To: SoConPubbie; Jarhead9297; COUNTrecount; notaliberal; DoughtyOne; RitaOK; MountainDad; ...
Ted Cruz Ping!

If you want on/off this ping list, please let me know.

Please beware, this is a high-volume ping list!
2 posted on 07/25/2014 5:14:32 PM PDT by SoConPubbie (Mitt and Obama: They're the same poison, just a different potency)
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To: SoConPubbie

Of course it was another clumsy - and failed - attempt to gain leverage over Israel in the coming ceasefire negotiations.


3 posted on 07/25/2014 5:14:59 PM PDT by skeeter
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To: SoConPubbie

The commie lib ‘RATS are working hard for the destruction Israel. Once America and Israel are destroyed, there’s nothing left. It’ll be a commie kind of world!


4 posted on 07/25/2014 5:15:13 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (America is not a refugee camp! It is my home!!!)
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To: SoConPubbie

GO TED GO!!! GO TED GO!!!


5 posted on 07/25/2014 5:33:31 PM PDT by pollywog ( " O thou who changest not....ABIDE with me")
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To: SoConPubbie

As is usual in these instances, Obama didn’t need to say or order anything. His minions in the various administrations are of the same ugly hateful mindset, and they knew they could operate with his indirect blessing.


6 posted on 07/25/2014 5:48:02 PM PDT by COBOL2Java (I'm a Christian, pro-life, pro-gun, Reaganite. The GOP hates me. Why should I vote for them?)
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Free Republic Doesn't Have One Of These


Click The Pic To Donate

Please Donate

7 posted on 07/25/2014 5:50:36 PM PDT by DJ MacWoW (The Fed Gov is not one ring to rule them all)
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To: SoConPubbie
Cruz wants to know why Israel was singled out while commercial flights can pass over other hot spots, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and the Ukraine — where a Malaysia Airlines airplane was shot down killing 298 passengers.

It was this admin's feeble attempt to flex its muscle at Israel. It failed just like everything else they've done.

8 posted on 07/25/2014 6:11:40 PM PDT by raybbr (Obamacare needs a death panel.)
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To: SoConPubbie
"Sen. Cruz, he sees a political bogeyman behind every action"

Where the king and his court are concerned there is a boogeyman behind every action!

At least we have one man who calls out this administration on their most obvious malfunctions, there is not enough time to call them out on everything, since there is only a small number of congressmen willing to do so.

Ted Cruz 2016!

9 posted on 07/25/2014 6:39:14 PM PDT by PoloSec ( Believe the Gospel: how that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again)
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To: SoConPubbie

Ted Cruz currently is the only viable leader for the conservative movement. The Democrats see this, fear him and have constructed some consistent talking points to counter him. Interestingly, the leftist media has begun parroting the Democrat message on Ted Cruz. Clear coordination at work, and it gives me hope that Cruz has good internal polling.


10 posted on 07/25/2014 6:55:46 PM PDT by BlueStateRightist (Government is best which governs least.)
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To: SoConPubbie

Please add me to the ping list.


11 posted on 07/25/2014 7:17:28 PM PDT by free me (Cruz 2016!)
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To: SoConPubbie

Forget it. The FAA has probably “scratched” their hard drives already.


12 posted on 07/25/2014 7:20:59 PM PDT by Moonman62 (The US has become a government with a country, rather than a country with a government.)
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To: SoConPubbie
Some might say Cruz is chasing the tail but in fact Pelosi did this grandstanding
every day when she was speaker. She was relentless against the GOP and it works.

Boehner should also be doing this day and night, but he's not for the reason we all know.

Every little detail of screw-ups needs to be brought out to the American public
so they can get involved and ask themselves what's going on.

Keep it up, Cruz!

13 posted on 07/25/2014 7:25:30 PM PDT by MaxMax (Pay Attention and you'll be pissed off too! FIRE BOEHNER, NOW!)
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To: free me

You’ve been added to the Ted Cruz Ping List!


14 posted on 07/26/2014 5:58:56 PM PDT by SoConPubbie (Mitt and Obama: They're the same poison, just a different potency)
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