Ted Cruz requests resignation of spokesman

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz has asked his campaign spokesman to resign for tweeting a story that falsely alleged Marco Rubio insulted the bible.

Cruz told reporters he asked for Rick Tyler's resignation. Rubio has blasted Cruz for the incident and asked whether Cruz would fire anyone involved.

Cruz said Tyler is "a good man" and deleted the tweet once he found it was false.

Cruz told reporters: "We are not a campaign that is going to question the faith of another candidate for president."

Marco Rubio is asking whether rival Ted Cruz will hold someone accountable for the Cruz campaign's role in promoting a video Sunday that incorrectly suggested Rubio had criticized the Bible. Cruz spokesman Rick Tyler apologized on Monday for posting the story that misquoted Rubio.

It was the second time the Cruz campaign or the candidate himself has apologized for campaign conduct. Cruz apologized to rival Ben Carson earlier in the month after his campaign incorrectly cast a news story as evidence that Carson was getting out of the race.

Rubio accepted the Cruz campaign's apology, but added: "At some point there has to be some level of accountability. Otherwise…you're sending the message to the people who work for you: Go out and do anything you want and if you get caught we'll just apologize, but we'll keep doing it."

Rubio spoke in Elko, Nevada, a day ahead of the state's GOP presidential caucuses.