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Unsupported claim: Ted Cruz took a bribe to file federal lands proposal

Occupy Democrats, a pro-Democratic group, said Sen. Ted Cruz took a bribe from the Kochs to offer a proposal affecting federal lands. This is part of its post on Facebook dated July 11, 2014. Occupy Democrats, a pro-Democratic group, said Sen. Ted Cruz took a bribe from the Kochs to offer a proposal affecting federal lands. This is part of its post on Facebook dated July 11, 2014.

Occupy Democrats, a pro-Democratic group, said Sen. Ted Cruz took a bribe from the Kochs to offer a proposal affecting federal lands. This is part of its post on Facebook dated July 11, 2014.

By W. Gardner Selby August 17, 2014

Ted Cruz took a bribe?

So said a July 11, 2014, Facebook post by Occupy Democrats depicting the second-year Republican senator from Texas as the group’s "Sellout Politician of the Day.

Its message, brought to our attention by a reader, said: "This is Sen. Ted Cruz, a Koch puppet. He was just bribed by the Kochs to introduce a bill that would gift or sell them and their allies America’s national forests, parks, and other public lands and open them for mining, drilling, fracking and logging."

Occupy Democrats didn’t offer evidence of Cruz getting money or another benefit to introduce his proposal. Separately, we found nothing that confirmed Koch actions caused Cruz to offer an amendment (which went nowhere in July) that would have the federal government shed lands in some western states.

Strike a match. Pants on Fire!

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Unsupported claim: Ted Cruz took a bribe to file federal lands proposal