Cruz: National Enquirer Sex Scandal Story Is ‘Garbage' Peddled by 'Sleazy Donald\

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz vehemently denied a National Enquirer story that made waves on Twitter today — calling rumors that he's been unfaithful to his wife "complete and utter lies."

"It is garbage, complete and utter lies," Cruz said at a press conference in Wisconsin today. "It is a tabloid smear and it has come from Donald Trump and his henchmen."

The National Enquirer is a U.S. tabloid that's known for its often far-fetched reporting based on rumor and informants. But sometimes it has been right — the Enquirer was the first outlet to report that Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards had an extramarital affair, news that put an end to his 2008 campaign.

Their Ted Cruz story alleges that the Republican 2016 candidate has five mistresses.

But Cruz pushed back against the allegations Friday, saying front-runner Donald Trump is behind the story. David Pecker, the chief executive of the National Enquirer, is friends with Trump, and the National Enquirer has endorsed Trump.

"This garbage does not belong in politics," Cruz said. "Donald is fond of giving people nicknames. With this pattern he should not be surprised to see people calling him Sleazy Donald, because that is his first and last resort, to go to sleaze and to ignore the truth."

Trump has said he won't do another Republican debate, Cruz added, and is hiding out in Trump Tower doing no political events and sending tweets "late at night" — presumably a reference to the two candidate's Twitter spat over their wives.

"This man would be an embarrassment," Cruz said. "We don't want a president that traffics in sleaze and slime."

Asked if he would support Trump as the nominee, Cruz responded: "I will say this, I don't make a habit out of supporting people who attack my wife and attack my family."

—

Follow the author of this story on Twitter and Facebook:

Follow @LeighMunsil

[facebook //www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=