Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) slammed critical race theory on Friday during a speech at the Faith and Freedom Coalition Road to Majority Conference, saying the teaching is “bigoted” and comparing it to “klansmen in white sheets.”

According to Cruz, critical race theory:

…replaces class with race and it says all of America and all of the world is a battle between the races and “every bit as racist as a Klansmen in white sheets. … Critical race theory says every white person is a racist. Critical race theory says America is fundamentally racist and irredeemably racist. Critical race theory seeks to turn us against each other and if someone has a different color skin seeks to make us hate that person.

Cruz went on to say:

It is bigoted, it is a lie, and it is every bit as racist as klansmen in white sheets. As a Christian and as an American, I love my brothers and sisters whatever skin color you are, whatever ethnicity you are, whatever faith you are, whatever creed you are … we are commanded to love. The end.

Cruz’s comments garnered the attention of Business Insider senior political reporter John Haltiwanger, who said Cruz made “an absurd comparison” and everything that Republicans say about critical race theory is “completely baseless.”

Haltiwanger wrote in a tweet:

Critical Race Theory never lynched anyone. This is an absurd comparison. CRT is literally just an academic framework that looks at the effects of systemic racism across society. It should not be controversial. Everything Republicans are saying about it is completely baseless.

In later tweets, Haltiwanger claimed, “critical race theory is a lucrative obsession for Republicans because the party is ‘offended by the political focus on racism and racial justice'”

He added that “critical race theory has been around for decades” and that Republicans “began this campaign against CRT in the past year as part of broader pushback against the US finally taking baby steps toward coming to terms [with] its racist past/present.”

More than 20 states, all of which enjoy GOP leadership — including Arizona, Arkansas and Texas — have produced legislation to prevent critical race theory from being a part of curriculum in public schools.

Most recently, on TuesdayTexas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law a bill that outlines how schools in the state should teach students about race and racism and prohibits the teaching of critical race theory.

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