RedState Insider recently reported on Sen. Chuck Grassley’s moves to obstruct President Trump’s EPA and judicial nominees in an effort to force the Trump administration’s hand on biofuels-related policy.

Trump eventually caved to Grassley’s demands, with EPA and judicial nominees on the line, and– rumor has it– threats of Grassley-condoned Judiciary Committee investigation into Russian election meddling and alleged connections between the Trump Team and our “friends” in Moscow.

Now, Ted Cruz is fighting back. Cruz, probably the most anti-ethanol mandate figure in the history of U.S. politics, and ironically also the winner of Iowa’s 2016 Republican caucuses, strongly disagrees with Grassley on biofuels issues. Cruz is hitting Grassley where it hurts over his hard-balling of Trump.

Bonus: Sen. Mike Lee, another limited government, constitutional conservative stalwart, has been giving an assist.

Word is that Cruz and Lee placed holds earlier this week on the nomination of a proposed senior U.S. Department of Agriculture appointee, Bill Northey.

Northey himself is of no consequence apart from his current service as Iowa’s agriculture secretary– which probably makes him overly “responsive” to the ethanol industry.

But if he doesn’t get confirmed for the job he’s up for, another figure whose career matters greatly to Grassley will lose out. Expected to succeed Northey in his current job is none other than Iowa State Rep. Pat Grassley. Who is Sen. Grassley’s grandson.

Lee has reportedly now released his hold, but as it stands, Cruz is holding firm.

It’s just another reminder that Cruz has massive cojones, and would have been one tough President. Thankfully, small government advocates have him in the Senate to send a message about this kind of railroading of the President when he’s actually trying to do the right thing, from a conservative, economic, and frankly environmental standpoint.