Ted Cruz: "Sleazy" Donald Trump responsible for "tabloid smear"
Ted Cruz is vehemently denying a National Enquirer story that outlined unsavory accusations about his personal life, pointing the finger at Republican presidential rival Donald Trump as its origin.
"This National Enquirer story is garbage," Cruz told reporters Friday while campaigning in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. "It is complete and utter lies. It is a tabloid smear and it is a smear that has come from Donald Trump and his henchmen."
Cruz noted that Enquirer story only quoted one source: former Trump aide Roger Stone.
Stone departed Trump's team last year after expressing discontent with the campaign's direction.
"Donald when he's losing, when he's scared, when Republicans are uniting against him, decides to peddle sleaze and slime," Cruz added. "You know Donald is fond of giving people nicknames. With this pattern he should not be surprised to see people calling him 'Sleazy Donald.'"
Cruz also found the timing of the Enquirer story to be suspicious.
"It's not surprising that Donald Trump's tweet occurs the day before the attack comes out," Cruz said.
Cruz reiterated these comments on Facebook:
I want to be crystal clear: these attacks are garbage. For Donald J. Trump to enlist his friends at the National...
Posted by Ted Cruz on Friday, March 25, 2016
On Tuesday, Trump lashed out at Heidi Cruz and threatened to "spill the beans" about her on Twitter. The social media hit came after an anti-Trump PAC used a risque photo of Trump's wife Melania in an attack ad earlier this week.
Trump, who said he had "no idea" whether the tabloid's story was true, denied that he was its source and claimed that he still had yet to read it.
"I have nothing to do with the National Enquirer and unlike Lyin' Ted Cruz I do not surround myself with political hacks and henchman and then pretend total innocence," Trump said in a statement Friday. "Ted Cruz's problem with the National Enquirer is his and his alone, and while they were right about O.J. Simpson, John Edwards, and many others, I certainly hope they are not right about Lyin' Ted Cruz."