The father of a Texas marine recently released from detention in Russia claims Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) “didn’t do anything” to help negotiate the release. “He’s an embarrassment to the state of Texas,” Joey Reed said. “I don’t care what or who runs against him, I will work for their campaign to defeat that son of a bitch.” Trevor Reed, 30, was arrested in Moscow in 2019 and accused of assaulting a cop; Russian authorities said he could face nine years in prison though some claimed there was insufficient evidence. When Joey and Paula Reed contacted Cruz on behalf of their son, they claim a staffer responded, “Because Senator Cruz is such an enemy of Putin, he’s afraid that if he says anything, it will hurt your son.” The enemy status was attributed to Cruz’s stance against the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, Cruz explained in a statement to The Dallas Morning News. When Trevor was released as part of a prisoner exchange, Cruz called the family to celebrate. But Joey said he responded, “Where have you been for the last two and a half years?”
