Senator Ted Cruz slammed his boot on the table his boot on the table in opposition to FBI guidelines on symbols that indicate extremist groups.
CRUZ: Also included on this is a text that I was particularly struck is the Gonzales Battle Flag – Come and take it – as indicative of being a violent extremist militia. Well, I will self report right now that every day in the Senate, I wear my boots that have the Gonzales battle flag on the back of them. Director Ray, what are y'all doing? This makes no sense. Do you agree with this FBI guidance? That the Betsy Ross flag, and the Gadsden flag and the Gonzales Battle Flag or signs of militia violent extremism.
FBI DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHER WRAY: Well, Senator, I'm not familiar with the particular document you have behind you and I'm not in the practice of trying to comment on documents that I haven't recognized. But I will tell you that when we put out intelligence products, including ones that reference symbols, which we do across a wide variety of contexts, we usually make great pains take great pains to put caveats and warnings in the document that make clear that a symbol alone is not considered evidence of violent extremism.
