Short version of a current NYT piece
from another forum.
The article is worth a read but...it is SO LONG. To sum up:
Ted Cruz was running neck and neck with Trump just before the Iowa caucuses. Cruz’s campaign had been promised the endorsement of Jerry Falwell Jr (son of the notorious televangelist). At the last minute Falwell endorsed Trump with little explanation.
Michael Cohen has said that, at the time he was working with the National Enquirer to “buy and bury” negative stories about Trump (Karen McDougal, Stormy Daniels, etc.), he was informed that Falwell and his wife were in need of the same service due to the existence of some “purported sexually revealing photographs.”
Apparently, while at a resort, the uber Christian, uber conservative Mr. Falwell and his wife met and “befriended” a 21 year old pool boy/Mexican immigrant. Within a very short period of time they started spending time with him and agreed to help fund his business idea: a gay-friendly youth hostel in Miami.
Eventually there was a falling out between the couple and the pool boy. There was a disagreement over ownership of the business, a lawsuit followed, at which time the Falwells found out their former friend had some “damaging” pictures of one or both of them. Cohen recounted this entire story during a recorded conversation with, the actor, Tom Arnold. According to Cohen, he agreed to help Falwell take care of the story. In the process he managed to get (and keep) at least one of the embarrassing pictures.
Not long after...Falwell endorsed Trump.
Falwell denies Cohen’s account or the existence of a picture. He claims his decision to invest in a 21yr old pool boys gay friendly South Beach hostel was strictly a business decision.
Falwell also denies any pressure to endorse Trump. Stating that Mr. Cohen “did nothing more than ask” Mr. Falwell to endorse Mr. Trump.
Sound crazy? Maybe it is, maybe not
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article235519837.html