During a Senate hearing on Tuesday, GOP Senator Rand Paul passionately defended Apple in the midst of accusations that the tech giant used foreign subsidiaries to dodge billions of dollars in taxes. Paul accused the government of “bullying” Apple and even issued a personal apology to its executives.
Paul, who is a Tea Party favorite, has publicly hinted that he may run for president in 2016.
“I’m offended by the spectacle of dragging in Apple executives,” Paul said. “What we need to do is apologize to Apple and compliment them for the job creation they’re doing […] Apple hasn’t broken any laws, yet Apple is forced to sit through a show trial,” he added.
Paul’s voracious defense of Apple may be motivated by more than just tax policy. Since Paul is flirting with a presidential bid, there’s no doubt that he needs campaign funds. According to a piece in the Washington Post, he’s been lobbying hard for donations from Silicon Valley.
With Paul’s frequent rants against crony capitalism, his defense of Apple’s tax-dodging has been seen by many as more than hypocritical.
Listen to Paul’s comments in the video below.
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