Sen. Ted Cruz Confronted Over iHeartMedia Payments, Lashes Out at Reporter

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas came under scrutiny this week after facing questions about the financial support from iHeartMedia, the radio network that distributes his podcast, to a super PAC supporting his re-election campaign.

Last week, the Houston Chronicle reported that iHeartMedia had channeled over $630,000 in payments to the Truth and Courage PAC since March 2023, constituting about one-third of the committee's total contributions during that period.

Experts have raised concerns that these payments may represent a new form of arrangement that blurs the lines between Senate ethics rules and campaign finance laws.

Controversy Surrounding "Verdict" Podcast

In October 2022, Cruz announced that iHeartMedia had acquired his "Verdict" podcast, which quickly gained a devoted audience. The program has been broadcast on 850 radio stations, marking a significant development for Cruz.

A complaint was subsequently filed with the Senate Ethics Committee, alleging that Cruz violated rules prohibiting lawmakers from receiving gifts from registered lobbyists. Despite this, the committee dismissed the complaint, accepting Cruz's assertion that he did not receive any financial benefit from the arrangement.

Debate Over Compensation

The iHeartMedia payments, reportedly linked to the advertising revenue of "Verdict," seem to call into question Cruz's claims that he does not receive payment for hosting the podcast. Despite this, both Cruz and iHeartMedia maintain that the Texas Republican volunteers his time for the podcast and is not compensated.

During an interview with ABC 13 reporter Shannon Ryan, Cruz defended his podcast and disparaged the media for allegedly failing to report the actual news. When pressed about the large payments from iHeartMedia to the PAC, Cruz criticized the media and dismissed the initial complaint as a "left-wing Democrat attack group."

Unresolved Issues

Ryan highlighted that the initial ethics complaint focused on the podcast deal itself and that the current influx of iHeartMedia funds into the PAC has not been subjected to an investigation.

Cruz concluded the interview by criticizing the media and calling for a focus on substantive issues, while denouncing what he described as false personal attacks from Democrats.