Cruz on Lightfoot’s call to visit Chicago to discuss gun violence: ‘The invitation as I perceive it is to a political circus.’

WASHINGTON — Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, hedged Thursday when asked if he would accept Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s invitation to visit Chicago to discuss the impact of guns on the city, suggesting a meeting would turn into a political spectacle.

“The invitation as I perceive it is to a political circus; that does not seem a terribly attractive invitation,” Cruz said.

Lightfoot, told of Cruz’s reluctance to visit, delivered her own strong reply. “If you’re not gonna come to Chicago — if you’re not gonna learn the facts, keep our name out of your mouth,” she said.

Cruz was asked about Lightfoot’s invitation and their feud at a breakfast with reporters hosted by the Christian Science Monitor.

Cruz did not entirely rule out a meeting with the mayor or a trip to the city — though given what he called Lightfoot’s “tone” and “anger” in their back and forth, a get-together anytime soon does not seem likely.

He also did not entirely reject doing a livestream with the mayor; the matter was on the table because on Tuesday, Cruz sat down with actress Alyssa Milano, a gun control advocate, for a conversation after sparring with her on Twitter.

Cruz and the mayor tangled on Twitter after Cruz started this feud earlier this month when he tweeted that “gun control doesn’t work. Look at Chicago. Disarming law abiding citizens is not the answer.”

The Cruz-Lightfoot exchanges come as Congress is yet again under pressure to do something about guns as the tolls from mass shootings — including in Texas — grew this summer. President Donald Trump and, more recently, daughter Ivanka have slammed Chicago over the city’s ongoing struggle with gun violence.

The Chicago Sun-Times asked Cruz if he would take up Lightfoot’s invite.

“Oh, I’d be happy to go to Chicago,” said Cruz, immediately qualifying his answer. “But given the tone and anger in her response, I’m not sure we would see a civil or substantive conversation rather than just a political show.

“So I don’t have a lot of interest in a political show. Look, I am more than happy to have a civil and respectful conversation. As you know yesterday or two days ago I spent an hour and a half in a live stream conversation with Alyssa Milano.

“Miss Milano and I, our views on many issues are quite far apart, but I thought it was beneficial, I thought it was good in this era where there’s so much anger, so much bitterness.”

Lightfoot said Thursday she was not surprised Cruz isn’t jumping at the chance to visit Chicago.

“It’s ironic that a guy like Ted Cruz talks about a political stunt. He’s the master of the political stunts. But my invitation to him to [come to] Chicago was sincere,” the mayor told reporters at an unrelated news conference on the West Side.

“I think it’s not ever a good idea to cast aspersions on a community, particularly one as rich and diverse as the city of Chicago without knowing any facts. Come here. Come to the West Side. Come to the South Side. Learn what we’re actually doing. Talk to the members of the community whose lives are at risk. And help us build community and get resources to help us address the gun violence.”

Lightfoot had pushed back hard against Cruz’s attack on Twitter, in interviews and a Sept. 10 Washington Post op-ed, pointing out that Chicago’s gun control laws don’t stop ongoing shooting violence because gun purchases are legal in other parts of Illinois and Indiana, which borders the city.

In the Post op-ed, Lightfoot wrote that “as long as people can drive from Illinois to Indiana and purchase a personal arsenal without a background check, Chicago’s gun laws will always be as weak as the closest permissive state.” If Cruz really wanted to know what Chicago is doing to combat gun violence, Lightfoot said she should come to Chicago, “walk the streets” on the South and West Sides and talk to pastors, teachers, mothers, fathers, police and prosecutors.

The far Southeast Side of Chicago borders Indiana. Cruz rejected Lightfoot’s point about a guns flowing to Chicago purchased in Indiana.

“So she pushed back and she said the problem is Indiana, ‘It’s not my fault, it’s the red states nearby and so people can go elsewhere and get guns and she just blamed (in) particular Indiana,” Cruz said.

Lightfoot has another view, which is why she asked Cruz to Chicago.

Would Cruz do a livestream with Lightfoot?

Said Cruz, “Look, I would have to see some indications that she’s interested in a real discussion. But ... if she were, sure, I’d be happy to.”