Did Dean Heller lie to CNN?

Sen. Dean Heller was on CNN's "Crossfire" on Tuesday and was asked about Ted Cruz filibustering the debt limit, which the Nevadan said he was wrong to do.

And today, Heller voted to....filibuster the debt limit.

I kid you not.

Here's the CNN exchange in full:

 

VAN JONES, CROSSFIRE HOST:  Well, listen, we're excited because we actually have the threat to America's full faith and credit removed.  We can move forward, except your colleague, Ted Cruz, has now announced he is going to filibuster.  Are you going to join with Ted Cruz in filibustering the clean debt ceiling proposal?

 

U.S. SENATOR DEAN HELLER (R-NV):  Well, first of all, I wasn't aware that he was going to filibuster, but I wouldn't be surprised.  You've got more information than you're giving me (ph).  But you know, they passed it in the House.  They wanted some reforms, couldn't pass it with any reforms on it.  They couldn't get the 218 votes.  And Pelosi said that she wouldn't -- she would get their caucus’ support --

 

JONES:  Well, is Ted Cruz wrong, then?  Are you saying that Ted Cruz is wrong to filibuster?

 

HELLER:  First of all, I think it's a Republican -- or the president's party that's responsible for passing the debt ceiling increases.  I mean, it was true under Bush, and it's true under Clinton.  So it is the Democrats' responsibility. 

 

U.S. SENATOR SHERROD BROWN (D-OHIO):  I give credit -- I give credit to the House.  John Boehner every day wakes up.  Is he going to be speaker of the Tea Party and the Republican Caucus, or is he going to be speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives?  He's from my state; I give him credit for doing the right thing.  I give credit, like I give credit to Dean for fix -- working to try to extend unemployment insurance.

 

JONES:  I think that's very -- but we do have two senators here, and I think it's important to help us understand: Do you think that Ted Cruz is right to filibuster?  Are you with him or not?

 

HELLER:  Well, I don't think it's right, because at the end of the day, we're going to pass a clean debt ceiling increase, with Ted or without Ted's support, with my support or without my support.  But at the end of the day, at the end of the day, there's going to be a debt ceiling increase and it's going to be clean.  And the reason being -- is because of the action the House just took.

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And here is Heller's vote today to filibuster.
 
I asked for an explanation. But his staff is about as responsive as an infant would be if asked to describe Einstein's theory of relativity.
 

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