Cohen says he helped Falwell handle racy photos months prior to Trump endorsement

[jmyrlefuller]

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-politics-falwell-exclusive/exclusive-trump-fixer-cohen-says-he-helped-falwell-handle-racy-photos-idUSKCN1SD2JG

Months before evangelical leader Jerry Falwell Jr.’s game-changing presidential endorsement of Donald Trump in 2016, Falwell asked Trump fixer Michael Cohen for a personal favor, Cohen said in a recorded conversation reviewed by Reuters.

Falwell, president of Liberty University, one of the world’s largest Christian universities, said someone had come into possession of what Cohen described as racy “personal” photographs — the sort that would typically be kept “between husband and wife,” Cohen said in the taped conversation.

According to a source familiar with Cohen’s thinking, the person who possessed the photos destroyed them after Cohen intervened on the Falwells’ behalf.

“I actually have one of the photos,” he said, without going into specifics. “It’s terrible.”

Reuters has no evidence that Falwell’s endorsement of Trump was related to Cohen’s involvement in the photo matter.

The connection between Trump and Falwell goes back years. In 2012, Trump gave the convocation at Liberty University. One link between Trump and the couple appears to have been Cohen, a now-disbarred New York lawyer who formed a close bond with the Falwells.

During the campaign, Cohen worked closely with Liberty University to help promote Trump’s candidacy. It was around that time that Cohen heard from the Falwells about the photographs(.)

(excerpt)

[dfwgator]

So?

[jmyrlefuller]

So?

What do you mean, so?

It's a quid-pro-quo: Falwell only sold Trump to evangelicals using his father's name and credibility as a quid-pro-quo to cover up his own dirty deeds. (See also: the gay pool boy rumors that've been floating around the past few weeks)

Also note: Falwell Jr. did not inherit his father's pastorship. That position went to his brother, Jonathan Falwell.

In other words, the evangelical embrace of Trump was built upon fraud.

[dfwgator]

What do you mean, so?

It's a quid-pro-quo: Falwell only sold Trump to evangelicals using his father's name and credibility as a quid-pro-quo to cover up his own dirty deeds. (See also: the gay pool boy rumors that've been floating around the past few weeks)

Also note: Falwell Jr. did not inherit his father's pastorship. That position went to his brother, Jonathan Falwell.

In other words, the evangelical embrace of Trump was built upon fraud.

You think evangelicals embraced Trump just because of this guy?  Yeah, right.

[Sanguine]

What do you mean, so?

It's a quid-pro-quo: Falwell only sold Trump to evangelicals using his father's name and credibility as a quid-pro-quo to cover up his own dirty deeds. (See also: the gay pool boy rumors that've been floating around the past few weeks)

Also note: Falwell Jr. did not inherit his father's pastorship. That position went to his brother, Jonathan Falwell.

In other words, the evangelical embrace of Trump was built upon fraud.

IF you take Cohen's word for it.  And, a person would have to be a fool to do so without concrete evidence.  Cohen?  Really? 

[Sighlass]

@jmyrlefuller   

Thanks for the article, everyone on my side wondered just how the Falwells (couple photoed in front of Trump's playboy framed picture) went so gung-ho Trump... The puzzle picture is beginning to fill in.

[QueenCatofAragon]

What do you mean, so?

It's a quid-pro-quo: Falwell only sold Trump to evangelicals using his father's name and credibility as a quid-pro-quo to cover up his own dirty deeds. (See also: the gay pool boy rumors that've been floating around the past few weeks)

Also note: Falwell Jr. did not inherit his father's pastorship. That position went to his brother, Jonathan Falwell.

In other words, the evangelical embrace of Trump was built upon fraud.

@jmyrlefuller

Those of us who live in and near Lynchburg have always figured as much, ever since Jerry Jr. dropped $33 million to buy a shopping mall soon after endorsing Trump.  Some of us believe there is something off about Jerry, apart from being a money-hungry egomaniac whose goal is to own most of this town.  The guy actually had a massive “LU” carved into the side of a mountain which looks down on part of the city.

Yeah, Cohen is a sleaze, but we’ve known for a while he had a relationship with LU.  Why would Falwell choose to associate with such a person?   Even though he isn’t a pastor, he’s the president of a Christian university.

We know that Jerry met a pool boy at a Florida hotel and decided to set him up in business at the cost of $1.8 million, fly him around in a private jet, etc.  And Florida was where Cohen had to go to take care of the alleged photo issue. 

Yes, nothing at all to see here.

[QueenCatofAragon]

You think evangelicals embraced Trump just because of this guy?  Yeah, right.

@dfwgator

You don’t think evangelicals were influenced by Falwell’s endorsement?  Come. On.

[skeeter]

All the salacious details will be in Cohen's upcoming book, reserve your copy now.

[jmyrlefuller]

You think evangelicals embraced Trump just because of this guy?  Yeah, right.

Why else would they support Grab'em by the *****?

Trump had ZERO evangelical credibility until the Falwell endorsement.

[Sanguine]

Why else would they support Grab'em by the *****?

Trump had ZERO evangelical credibility until the Falwell endorsement.

Maybe because they have concerns other than just evangelicism and there were no evangelical alternatives to vote for? 

[dfwgator]

Maybe because they have concerns other than just evangelicism and there were no evangelical alternatives to vote for?

Precisely.

Bringing this story out now, only helps Democrats, and I'm in no mood to help Democrats right now.

[QueenCatofAragon]

Precisely.

Bringing this story out now, only helps Democrats, and I'm in no mood to help Democrats right now.

Same.  But neither am I in the mood to side with Falwell.  Supposedly there’s a photo which wasn’t destroyed, so if it’s leaked, it’s leaked.  The blame lies with Jerry. 

[WhatWouldReaganDo]

Why else would they support Grab'em by the *****?

Trump had ZERO evangelical credibility until the Falwell endorsement.

Donations from the Trump Foundation apparently had influence on some, like Franklin Graham.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/trump-s-foundation-wrote-many-checks-path-nomination-n659811

[dfwgator]

Donations from the Trump Foundation apparently had influence on some, like Franklin Graham.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/trump-s-foundation-wrote-many-checks-path-nomination-n659811

It's called "Politics",  it's worked this way since Man crawled from the slime. 

[QueenCatofAragon]

It's called "Politics",  it's worked this way since Man crawled from the slime.

He didn’t crawl far enough.

I realize you must have me blocked, because I’m talking to myself on this thread, but oh, well, lol.

[Wingnut]

He didn’t crawl far enough.

I realize you must have me blocked, because I’m talking to myself on this thread, but oh, well, lol.

Why would anyone ever block you?   

 

[edpc]

IF you take Cohen's word for it.  And, a person would have to be a fool to do so without concrete evidence.  Cohen?  Really?

Cohen wasn’t openly talking about it. It was part of the phone call Tom Arnold recorded, surreptitiously. That seems appropriate, given the habit Cohen had of recording others.  It also fits with the other known sleazy operations he performed, including arranging hush money for a playmate and a porn star for Trump. Then, there was the hush/abortion money arranged for Broidy.

[QueenCatofAragon]

Why would anyone ever block you?   

 

@The Ghost

Because they can’t deal with my shy & retiring personality.

I was just kidding @dfwgator.  I know he didn’t block me.  He just prefers not to reply, lol.

[Wingnut]

@The Ghost

Because they can’t deal with my shy & retiring personality.

I was just kidding @dfwgator.  I know he didn’t block me.  He just prefers not to reply, lol.

@QueenCatofAragon  and @dfwgator
I do believe the Gator put you on Double secret probation!  :)