Following an ethics complaint filed by seven Democrats in the U.S. Senate against Sens. Ted Cruz (TX-R) and Josh Hawley (MS-R), Sen. John Cornyn (TX-R) defended his colleagues in an interview. 

“I wish he had won, but he didn’t win, and I don’t think Senator Hawley or Senator Cruz should be penalized in any way for making an argument,” Cornyn stated. “Maybe it didn’t carry the day, but I think they have every right to make the argument.”

In a letter addressed to the Senate Committee on Ethics, the Democratic senators argue that Cruz and Hawley “made future violence more likely,” by vowing to object to the 2020 election results and sustaining their objections even after the violence at the Capitol disrupted the counting process. The Democrats called for an investigation into their involvement in the Capitol riots on Jan 6.

Cruz has denied allegations that he incited violence and stated, “debating a question of constitutional law on the floor of the Senate is the antithesis of trying to resolve conflicts through violent terrorist attack.”

Cornyn cited Barbara Boxer’s (CA-D) efforts to oppose Electoral College results after the 2004 presidential election as precedent and reiterated that “differing points of view” do not render arguments “unethical or improper.” 

However, while Cornyn defended his colleagues’ right to argue the case, he emphasized “their responsibility to accept the outcome once it’s been decided.” 

He added: “that’s what we should all do, and move on.”