Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, right, and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., Attend the Senate Judiciary Committee’s appointment on judicial appointments and the Online Content Policy Modernization Act, at the Dirksen Building on Thursday, 10 December 2020.
Tom Williams | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images
Seven Democratic senators filed a formal complaint on Thursday asking the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate GOP Sens efforts. Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley to overturn the presidential election results.
The complaint comes two weeks after the deadly January 6 uprising on the United States Capitol, led by supporters of former President Donald Trump.
“Senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley gave legitimacy to President Trump’s false statements about electoral fraud by announcing that they would oppose voter certification on January 6,” wrote the senators in a letter to Senate Ethics Committee leaders Chris Coons, D-Del., And James Lankford, R-Okla.
Cruz, a Texas Republican, signed a written objection to the certification of Arizona votes at the start of the joint session for counting electoral votes on January 6, sparking a debate in both chambers. Then, pro-Trump protesters broke into the U.S. Capitol building and lawmakers were evacuated.
After the Capitol was secured and lawmakers resumed the session, Cruz and Hawley along with other Senate Republicans voted against the results of the Arizona Electoral College, even when others who planned to oppose decided to vote for certification after the deadly attack.
Missouri’s Hawley also continued with his previously announced plan to sign a written objection to Pennsylvania’s electoral votes. Cruz and Hawley voted against accepting the results of the Pennsylvania elections.
“By continuing to object to voters after the violent attack, Senators Cruz and Hawley gave legitimacy to the crowd’s cause and made future violence more likely,” the senators said in the letter.
The letter is signed by Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Ron Wyden of Oregon, Tina Smith of Minnesota, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Tim Kaine of Virginia and Sherrod Brown of Ohio.
In the letter, senators ask Coons and Lankford to investigate whether Cruz and Hawley’s actions constitute “improper conduct” or violate the Senate code of ethics.
The offices of Cruz, Hawley, Coons and Lankford did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
In the wake of the Capitol insurrection, Cruz and Hawley issued statements condemning the violence.
“The attack on the Capitol was a despicable act of terrorism and a shocking attack on our democratic system,” Cruz said in a press release on January 7.
“These acts of violence were criminal. They must be condemned,” Hawley said in a note on Jan. 8.
Hawley received criticism after being seen greeting protesters outside the Capitol with a fist raised before the joint session began. Simon & Schuster announced on January 7 that it would no longer publish Hawley’s next book, although the senator found a new publisher.
Trump faces a second impeachment trial in the Senate, although he is now out of office. The Democratic-controlled House accused Trump on January 13 of inciting the Capitol insurrection.
Lawmakers also called for further investigations into the riot. The Democratic-led House on January 16 sent a letter to FBI Director Chris Wray and other agency heads seeking information about the intelligence and security flaws that led to the violation of the United States Capitol. On Thursday, House Supervisory President Carolyn Maloney, DN.Y., asked Wray to examine the role that social media site Parler played in the attack.
Five people lost their lives as a result of the insurrection, including a police officer from the United States Capitol.