Ted Cruz tries to keep the Bud Light controversy alive by calling for a GoVeRnMeNt InVeStIGaTiOn

Ted Cruz is calling for an investigation into Bud Light due to the beer’s partnership with transgender TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney.

You’ve gotta love a small government conservative, right?

Newsweek obtained a copy of Cruz’s letter to Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth, asking for the Beer Institute, a national trade association, to open an inquiry into the company’s marketing deal with Mulvaney (Whitworth is also Chairman of the Beer Institute).

Cruz, who co-wrote the letter with far-right Tennessee senator Marsha Blackburn, is accusing Anheuser-Busch of “violating the Beer Institute’s Advertising/Marketing Code and Buying Guidelines prohibiting marketing to individuals younger than the legal drinking age.”

Unsurprisingly, Cruz’s argument is shoddy. He says Mulvaney, who’s 26, primarily creates content tailored for younger audiences. As a result, Bud Light was marketing its product towards minor, the attention-seeking senator claims.

As proof, he points towards comments from Bud Light’s former vice president of marketing, Alissa Heinerscheid, about the company’s desire to reach younger consumers. “If we do not attract young drinkers to come and drink this brand there will be no future for Bud Light.”

Anybody without an agenda can recognize Heinerscheid is talking about young legal drinkers, because those are the young people who can purchase Bud Light.

But nope: Cruz insists Heinerscheid wanted to use Mulvaney’s stardom as a way to infiltrate the red-hot high school market, or something. (Bud Light placed Heinerscheid on leave after the hysterical overreaction to Mulvaney’s sponsored posts. Hasn’t this poor woman suffered enough?)

Cruz also points to TikTok’s young user base (59% of users are between the ages of 13 and 24) as further evidence that Mulvaney was hawking beer to underage kids.

What a desperate stunt.

Investigate what?— Opinions Are Not Facts. Neither Are Impressions. (@Eric_Cote_Qc) May 18, 2023

This is what abuse of power looks like.— KevHill (@kevhill) May 18, 2023

What a fing wast of time. Who cares?— Mauzinho (@AzMauzinho) May 18, 2023

For nearly two months, the MAGA crowd has railed against Bud Light for teaming up with Mulvaney. Kid Rock posted an unhinged, gun-toting video, country music singer Travis Tritt announced he will drop all Anheuser-Busch products from his tour, and a conservative influencer created his own beer complete with a creepy ad, which opens with him standing in front of a women’s restroom.

Not be outdone, a Florida restaurant owner said Bud Light partnering with Mulvaney resulted in the “toughest weeks” of his life.

It’s ironic: conservatives proclaim to be pro-business …until those businesses partner with or support LGBTQ+ people. When that happens, Republicans suddenly think corporations need to be curtailed, reprimanded and investigated.

Look no further than Ron DeSantis’ futile feud with Disney, which committed the crime of opposing his draconian “Don’t Say Gay” law.

Cruz’s letter is the latest example of that glaring hypocrisy. But with a likely tough reelection bid ahead of him, one of the nation’s most unpopular senators may lean even further into the culture wars.

Clearly, Cruz thinks pushing for an investigation into Bud Light will cause voters to forget about his infamous vacation to Cancún and cowardice during the January 6 attack.

But people can see through this cheap political trick. Maybe Cruz needs a cold one to calm down.

Scroll down for more reaction to Cruz’s shameless stunt…

Ted would do well to demand that Texas investigate the “Gun Institute”— TAD (@tad82757) May 18, 2023

Is this his attempt to remain relevant?— Queer Lives Matter (@qlmoffical) May 18, 2023

Being a jerk off partisan conservative must be exhausting sheeeshh…talk about not letting go lol once again the Grand Ole Party displaying all their wonderful ideas to help america — Comfortably Elite (@Comfortlyelite) May 18, 2023

…What would they investigate? What is there that warrants a full on probe?!

She’s an influencer, they asked her to do a quick spot on her TikTok… Where is the potential issue?!

They aren’t even TRYING to make this sound “reasonable” anymore!— Chelsea D. LaLicata (@DemonRin) May 18, 2023

Republicans seem to think that“government bureaucrats should investigate beer commercials” is a winning message for swing voters— @WorldsBest (@WorldsMostHumb1) May 18, 2023

This constituent humbly requests you splash your face with some ice water, and PRIORITIZE. This, Ted, is not a priority.— Erik Radle (@Radle) May 17, 2023

This might be your biggest stretch since you argued that dildos should remain illegal in Texas.— Jonathan Casey (@JonathanTCasey) May 17, 2023