Cruz's CPAC Speech Attacks Mask-Wearing As Virtue Signaling

Sen. Ted Cruz punctuated his speech at CPAC with attacks on mask-wearing and Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez. This year’s Conservative Political Action Conference kicked up a stir for inviting Trump and snubbing his enemies.

Cruz’s most notable remarks at the Orlando event on Friday came during a speech to conservative activists in which he attacked anti-COVID-19 measures as inconsistent and ineffective, CNBC reports. He gave the example of restaurants that require masks but allow patrons to remove them while eating.

"Now they're saying, everybody can get immunized, we can have herd immunity everywhere, and we're going to wear masks for the next 300 years," Cruz said. "And by the way, not just one mask, two, three, four. You can't have too many masks. How much virtue do you want to signal? This is just dumb."

The CDC recently noted that two masks, one medical and one cloth, could be highly effective in stopping the spread of COVID-19.

He also took time to attack progressive targets, singling out Rep. Ocasio-Cortez to ridicule her for being afraid as violent right-wing rioters stormed the Capitol building and lawmakers were forced to evacuate.

"Bernie's wearing mittens and AOC is telling us she was murdered," Cruz said.

The Capitol riots have continued to be a hot topic in congressional discussions as Democrats accuse Republicans of ignoring and even encouraging their most extreme supporters.

Notably absent from CPAC was Nikki Haley, the more moderate Republican widely thought to have presidential ambitions. Haley was shunned from the guest list due to an interview she gave Politico in which she criticized Trump for his role in the riots. Trump has since refused to speak with her.

Cruz has been in hot water recently for a trip he took to Cancún as Texas froze over and utilities buckled under successive winter storms. Dozens of Texans lost their lives, making photos of Cruz heading off to a tropical vacation sub-optimal optics for the beleaguered Senator.

Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, meanwhile, raised millions for struggling Texans. Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke also stayed in-state to help coordinate checks on vulnerable residents and gather information.

Cruz went on to joke about his Cancun trip on the CPAC stage.