Chad’s Morning Brief: Take Ted Cruz Seriously and the FBI Expands Probe on Hillary Clinton

Why isn't the media taking Ted Cruz seriously? The Chad Hasty Show airs 8:30-11am on 790AM KFYO.

Take Cruz Seriously

Rick Lowry of POLITICO think the media isn't taking Senator Cruz very seriously. If the media isn't taking Cruz seriously, that would be a mistake.

The press and the political class are beginning to catch on to Cruz’s strength and there has been more talk of a prospective Cruz-Rubio race over the past two weeks, but his coverage and his buzz have been lagging indicators — and they are still lagging.

Consider the Politico survey of Republican insiders in the early nominating contests. After Tuesday night’s GOP debate in Milwaukee, it had as many respondents saying Cruz won (6 percent) as Ben Carson and John Kasich, (6 percent each). This is an extraordinary finding, given that Kasich showed up for the debate wearing a suicide vest.

Cruz tends to be an afterthought in the Sunday show chatter, and on TV generally.

The Atlantic tracks candidate mentions on cable TV. Over the past 100 days, Cruz ranks ninth among all presidential candidates from both parties, well behind Chris Christie and just above Kasich. Christie may begin to get some traction, but was relegated to the undercard debate in Milwaukee and is looking to throw a Hail Mary in New Hampshire. Kasich wants to complete the same unlikely pass in the same place.

Maybe the mentions of Cruz have picked up lately? No. Over about the past 30 days, he’s still ninth, just ahead of that juggernaut Martin O’Malley.

The media doesn't want to make Ted Cruz credible. Why? Because they are scared of him. Cruz wasn't given a chance by Texas media to beat David Dewhurst, and he did. Cruz wasn't given a chance by many to do well in the GOP Primary, and he is.

It is a mistake for the media and other candidates to underestimate Ted Cruz. Though it might be a mistake that team Cruz is fine with them making.

Hillary's Emails

According to FOX News, the FBI probe into Hillary Clinton's emails is expanding.

The FBI has expanded its probe of Hillary Clinton's emails, with agents exploring whether multiple statements violate a federal false statements statute, according to intelligence sources familiar with the ongoing case.

Fox News is told agents are looking at U.S. Code 18, Section 1001, which pertains to "materially false" statements given either in writing, orally or through a third party. Violations also include pressuring a third party to conspire in a cover-up. Each felony violation is subject to five years in prison.

This phase represents an expansion of the FBI probe, which is also exploring potential violations of an Espionage Act provision relating to "gross negligence" in the handling of national defense information.

"The agents involved are under a lot of pressure and are busting a--," an intelligence source, who was not authorized to speak on the record, told Fox News.

The section of the criminal code being explored is known as "statements or entries generally," and can be applied when an individual makes misleading or false statements causing federal agents to expend additional resources and time. In this case, legal experts as well as a former FBI agent said, Section 1001 could apply if Clinton, her aides or attorney were not forthcoming with FBI agents about her emails, classification and whether only non-government records were destroyed.

Any other candidate would be ruined by this. Not Hillary.