Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) called on the Trump administration to designate antifa as a terrorist organization, saying the federal government should “go systematically” after the extremist group.
Cruz, like many other Republicans, has argued that political violence is being funded by left-wing groups.
“The violence we are seeing is not purely organic,” he told Patel during Tuesday’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. “There is, I believe, significant money that is spreading dissension and violence.”
The senator pointed to antifa-related language on the bullet casings left behind by 22-year-old Utah local Tyler Robinson, who is suspected of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk last week.
Cruz mentioned his bill that adds rioting to the list of predicate offenses under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.
Since Kirk’s death, President Donald Trump said his administration will target left-wing groups that are believed to be funding and stoking political violence in the nation.
