Could one senator’s transformation to Trump supporter from adversary of the billionaire be a signal that the Republican lawmaker from the Lone Star State has his eye on a cabinet post that impacts home lending?
Last month, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) endorsed Trump for chief executive of the United States. Cruz worked the phones Thursday for Trump, though the LA Times said he never explicitly said to vote for Trump.
The decision to throw his support behind the GOP nominee was made after Trump referred to Cruz as “Lying Ted;” offended his wife, Heidi Cruz; and suggested Cruz’s father was associated with Lee Harvey Oswald.
Among several possible factors motivating Cruz is a deal to hold a cabinet post.
If the United States experiences a Brexit surprise and Donald J. Trump joins the ranks of POTUS, Cruz could oversee a sector of the administration.
Cruz sits on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. He also is a member of the Committee on Armed Services, the Joint Economic Committee and the Committee on Rules and Administration.
He’s additionally a member of the Judiciary Committee — which could land him at the top of the Department of Justice as U.S. attorney general.
Cruz has argued multiple cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.
If the Justice Department were to change hands from sitting Attorney General Loretta Lynch to Cruz, the government’s aggressive strategy invoking the False Claims Act and extracting massive settlements from FHA mortgagees could lose steam.
Also, an attorney general Cruz might take a softer stance in the Justice Department’s prosecution of disparate impact cases.
Lynch has promised to “continue to vigorously enforce the Fair Housing Act with every tool at its disposal — including challenges based on unfair and unacceptable discriminatory effects.”
