Senator Ted Cruz of Texas has been caught holidaying in Europe while his home state battles catastrophic flash floods. The Swamp revealed that Cruz, alongside his family, was spotted last Saturday soaking up history at Athens' iconic Parthenon as the Greek capital basked in the sun.
Meanwhile, back in Texas, 54-year-old Cruz's constituents faced chaos as emergency services scrambled to rescue those missing following the Guadalupe River's devastating surge through Hill County, tearing apart summer camps and communities. Reports on Monday confirmed a grim death toll of at least 104 lives lost to the sudden torrents.
An onlooker at the Parthenon recounted their encounter with the Senator: "He was with his family and a lone security guard," they observed. "As he walked past us, I simply said, '20 kids dead in Texas and you take a vacation?'"
The witness shared that Ted Cruz merely grunted in response and moved on, while "His wife shot me a dirty look. Then they continued on with their tour guide."
Following his supposed return on Sunday, Cruz released a statement assuring that he was being kept informed about the ongoing crisis, reports the Mirror US.
"In the first few hours of this flood, I was on the phone with Governor Abbott, was on the phone with Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, I was on the phone with Nim Kidd, the head of the Texas Department of Emergency Management, and then I called President Trump," said Cruz on Monday morning.
"He was having dinner at the time, it was still early in what was transpiring, and I wanted him to know. I said, Mr. President, from everything we're hearing right now, this appears to be bad, really bad.
"There may be a very significant loss of life unfolding right now in Texas... The president said, 'Ted... whatever assets you need, whatever resources you need, yes, let us know, and we will provide everything.'"
Cruz added: "Within hours, we had over a dozen helicopters in the air, National Guard, DPS, game wardens, Coast Guard, doing search and rescue."
The tragic repercussions of the floods were brought into sharper focus with reports that Camp Mystic, a Christian girls' summer camp, endured some of the worst devastation, suffering several casualties amongst its campers and counsellors. The camp's disclosure contributes to the deep sorrow surrounding the calamity that saw a powerful deluge sweep through the historic recreational site.
The camp released a heartfelt message on its website, stating: "We have been in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls," and expressing their gratitude by saying, "We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from the community, first responders, and officials at every level."
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has confirmed as of Sunday that the search is still on for at least 40 individuals, cautioning that this figure is expected to climb. Following this, authorities reported the grim discovery of 75 bodies in Kerr County, comprising 48 adults and 27 children.
Officials have disclosed that there are 15 adults and nine children awaiting identification, while the whereabouts of 10 campers and one counsellor from Camp Mystic are still unknown. Additionally, they noted that 10 fatalities have occurred in various counties including Travis, Burnet, Kendall, Tom Green, and Williamson, amidst rescue operations that have saved over 850 people from rising waters.
On Sunday, family members were allowed access to the campgrounds to join the search for their missing relatives. Volunteers, along with professionals using heavy machinery to clear debris, are working together to expedite the search process.
In February 2021, the Texas senator was caught jetting off to Cancun, Mexico, amidst a crippling winter storm that left hundreds of Texans without power or heat. Defending his choice at the time, Cruz claimed his intention was to be "a good dad" yet he admitted he came back as "it didn't feel right."
