Leppert on the mark about Cruz’s background

Businessman and former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert says fellow U.S. Senate hopeful Ted Cruz, a Houston lawyer, has a substantive gap in his background.

At last week’s Republican Senate debate at WFAA-TV, Channel 8, in Dallas, Cruz asked Leppert to comment on another candidate’s position on wage taxes. Leppert didn’t go there, instead replying: “The reality of it is that you have been a terrific staffer in the attorney general’s office. But the reality of it is you haven’t led businesses. So when you start talking about these issues, on how they impact business, to you it’s really an academic exercise. To me, it’s a career.”

Leppert’s camp told us he based his charge on Cruz’s biography as posted on Cruz’s campaign website. Cruz has had an illustrious legal career, according to the information there, but there’s no indication he has led any businesses. Read our check, posted to the right.

Hear any other claims in the debate worthy of review? Write us, politifact@statesman.com.