Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) competed in a kind of whataboutism Olympics on Tuesday when a TMZ reporter confronted him about the Justice Department’s nearly $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” and asked if violent Capitol rioters should be “eligible” for a payday. (Watch the heated exchange below.)

“You know, I’m not surprised you’re worried about that, but I’m curious, were you worried at all when Joe Biden was weaponizing the Department of Justice—” began Cruz in a TMZ DC clip of his exchange with reporter Charlie Cotton.

“I don’t want to talk about Joe Biden,” Cotton replied.

“I know you don’t!” Cruz shot back. “I understand you got a political agenda.”

“No, I don’t. I just don’t want to pay Jan. 6 rioters,” Cotton asserted.

“Look, look, look. I get — you get to ask the question, I get to give the answer,” Cruz responded.

“Are you going to answer it?” Cotton chimed in.

“I’m giving you my answer,” Cruz said.

Cruz’s dodgy response mirrors that of Vice President JD Vance as critics bash what they call the DOJ’s “slush fund” for Trump’s allies, a money pot created in exchange for Trump dropping his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS.

The fund has raised concerns that taxpayer money could be used to pay for claims by the 1,500 rioters who were charged or convicted for their role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack.

😳 Senator Ted Cruz and @hicharliecotton got into a heated exchange over compensating January 6 insurrectionists with taxpayer money. Instead of answering directly, the senator fired back with a question of his own. pic.twitter.com/dWJJWGNIBN

Cruz, who once likened rioters who attacked police officers to “terrorists,” continued to dodge the yes-or-no question by accusing Cotton of not being “remotely concerned” about Biden’s “weaponization” of the DOJ.

But Cotton didn’t give up on his question, later asking again, “Do you think Jan. 6 rioters should be eligible for this money? Yes or no?”

Cruz, however, continued to talk about Biden.

Although he offered his two cents on who, in his words, should be “prosecuted and face consequences” (people who engage in violent acts) and who should be “protected under the First Amendment” (peaceful protesters), he slid into an elevator in an apparent opportunity to escape the question.

Cotton tossed it in his direction again as the elevator doors closed.

Cruz’s response this time? A faint smile.

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