During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on recent climate-related litigation, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) delivered a forceful critique of what he characterized as coordinated efforts between the Democratic Party and the Chinese Communist Party to undermine American energy independence.
“These lawsuits aren’t meant to succeed on the merits,” Sen. Cruz said. “They’re designed to exhaust, intimidate, and to destroy America’s energy sectors.”
Sen. Cruz accused Democratic lawmakers of ignoring what he alleged was foreign involvement in domestic environmental litigation.
“Both of my Democratic colleagues in their remarks had not a word to say about Communist China funneling millions of dollars to pay for these lawsuits,” he said. “Miraculously, that was absent from their remarks.”
When a White House official dismissed the allegation by saying, “I think we referred to it as conspiracy theories,” Cruz escalated his argument.
“You did say you don’t worry about conspiracy theories,” he responded. “But what is most certainly not a conspiracy theory is that the agenda of the Chinese Communist Party and the agenda of Senate Democrats are identical.”
Cruz claimed both entities share the same goals: weakening U.S. energy production, destroying domestic jobs, and raising energy costs for American families.
“Both China and the Democrats want to bankrupt the American energy industry,” he said. “Both want to destroy jobs in America. And both want to increase the price you pay for electricity and the gas you put in your car.”
He concluded by suggesting that Democrats are not only aligned with these interests but financially supported by them.
“Today’s Democrats are not remotely embarrassed to have their left-wing groups funded by Communist China, the world’s biggest polluter,” Cruz said. “China’s interest is weakening and hurting America. It makes you ask why an American political party would have that interest as well.”
The hearing focused broadly on litigation targeting fossil fuel companies. Democrats argue that it is necessary to hold major polluters accountable for climate change impacts. Cruz and other Republicans characterized the lawsuits as politically driven, warning they could damage U.S. energy security.
