Protesters Shout Ted and Heidi Cruz Out Of DC Restaurant

Last night, in a restaurant near the Capitol, Ted and Heidi Cruz were surrounded by a small but loud group of Kavanaugh protesters as they attempted to dine out.

The group tweeted clips of the activists shouting things like “We believe survivors” and “Beto’s way hotter than you, dude” and flipping him off. One clip features a woman who claims to be a constituent and a sexual assault survivor demanding to know how Cruz plans to vote in regards to Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation as Supreme Court Justice.

Cruz tells the activists “God Bless You” numerous times as he and Heidi gather their belongings and staff escorts them to the door. At one point, Ted demands the protesters let his wife through.

The protesters cheer as the door closes behind Cruz and he and Heidi stand on the sidewalk outside the restaurant.

The Dallas Observer points out that Cruz is a longtime friend of Brett Kavanaugh and is standing by his friend in spite of the accusations of sexual misconduct that have come to light during the confirmation process. The issue has become a heated one in Cruz’s bid for reelection. 

Regardless of their disagreement over Kavanaugh, Senator Cruz’s opponent in the US Senator race, Rep. Beto O’Rourke, tweeted his disapproval of such tactics.

Cruz is not the first Republican to be harassed while dining out. Mitch McConnell and his wife, Elaine Chao, were confronted in DC in June and protesters showed up at a Lousiville restaurant where Mitch was dining in July. 

Kirstjen Nielsen, Department of Homeland Security Secretary, was likewise harassed at a Mexican restaurant by protesters unhappy about the Trump administration’s zero tolerance policy on the border.

The Washington Post reported that Stephen Miller was so infuriated by a bartender following him out onto the street and flipping him off, that he threw away $80 worth of sushi. He feared someone had spit in it.

Scott Pruitt, Administrator of the EPA, was confronted by a teacher holding her toddler and told to resign.

After Sara Huckabee Sanders, White House press secretary, was asked to leave a restaurant in Virginia in June, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) encouraged citizens to do the same to other officials, saying, “If you see anybody from that Cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd and you push back on them, and you tell them they’re not welcome anymore, anywhere.”

Both Paul Ryan and Nancy Pelosi criticized Waters comments. Waters later cancelled two events due to death threats over her encouraging protesters.