Ted Cruz wants Rudy Giuliani, the president's personal attorney, to testify before judiciary committee

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz on Sunday said it wasn’t appropriate for President Donald Trump to call on China to investigate a political rival’s family and added that he wants the president’s personal attorney to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The Republican Texas senator’s comments come after two Soviet-born business associates of Rudy Giuliani, the president’s personal attorney, were indicted on charges that they funneled Russian money into Trump’s campaign. It also comes amid a Democratic-led impeachment inquiry centered on the president’s comments to the president of Ukraine about that country looking into unsubstantiated allegations against the business activities of Hunter Biden, whose father Joe Biden is a leading candidate to challenge Trump next year.

During an appearance on CBS’ Face the Nation, Cruz said no foreign government should be involved in American elections.

“That's true for all of them,” he told moderator Margaret Brennan. “It should be the American people deciding elections.”

Cruz said that it is ultimately up to Senate Judiciary Committee Chair U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham to decide whether Giuiliani should testify before lawmakers.

“But I'd like to see Rudy testify,” Cruz said.

Cruz has previously said that he found Trump’s comments about the Bidens with Ukraine’s president troubling, but that “is a long way from saying” the president should be impeached and removed from office.

After the Ukraine phone call, Trump called for China to investigate the younger Biden.

Last week, two other Texans became ensnared in the unfolding political scandal and impeachment inquiry. The indictment charging the two Soviet-born businessmen with campaign finance law violations says they committed to raise $20,000 or more for an unnamed congressperson, later identified as former U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, who was ousted from his Dallas district last year.

And former Texas Governor Rick Perry, who is now Trump’s energy secretary, is being subpoenaed by three U.S. House committees overseeing the presidential impeachment inquiry. Trump said Perry encouraged him to reach out to the Ukrainian leader.

But Perry and energy officials say the secretary wanted Trump to discuss energy and economic issues — not investigating the Bidens.