Letter from Princeton Progressives

The unprecedented criminal storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 by rabid seditionists severely tested American democracy’s resiliency and diminished our nation’s moral standing as the world watched in horror. While the main impetus behind this murderous failed coup attempt was incitement by America’s deranged President, many others were complicit in this historic outrage, with Sen. Ted Cruz ’92 playing a leading role. Cruz’s highly publicized zeal to overturn the results of the presidential election on the evidence-free grounds of alleged massive election fraud further emboldened those who sought to overthrow our government, disgracing himself and embarrassing his alma mater. Indeed, various national reporters cited Cruz’s Princeton background in the context of his having no excuse to be ignorant of the profound implications of his misconduct. Our great University regularly bestows awards and honors on many of its distinguished alumni, but it also needs to call out those who blatantly violate its fundamental tenets. These include a deep respect for facts and an absolute requirement of integrity, as expressed in the Honor Code signed with every piece of academic work. Yet Ted Cruz has exhibited a recklessly dangerous disdain for facts, acted without honor, and placed service to his own ambition over service to the nation or humanity. We know of no mechanism by which he might be stripped of his Princeton degree for his reprehensible actions, but we call on the University to formally censure him.