CNBC (
Trump fixer Michael Cohen says he helped evangelical leader Jerry Falwell Jr. handle racy photos) is reporting that in the months before Donald Trump started his campaign for the 2016 election,
Michael Cohen was approached by Jerry Falwell Jr. for a 'personal favor'. It appears that some 'personal pictures' of Falwell's fell into the hands of someone who was extorting him for money. Cohen approached the party, explained they were committing a crime and law enforcement would be called in if they persisted.
Apparently the pictures were destroyed (except possibly one which Cohen apparently still possesses) and all was good. Then it appears that Cohen approached Falwell to enlist his endorsement of Trump just before the Iowa caucuses. Falwell then endorsed Trump and presented Trump as a reformed sinner whom Evangelicals could support for president.
A couple of things stick out in my mind. One, an attorney doing a 'personal favor' for someone tells me that Cohen did not charge Falwell for his legal services. That makes Falwell 'beholden' to Cohen. Then it is Cohen who convinces Falwell to endorse Trump AND vouch for Trump's standing as a repentant sinner. And Cohen apparently still has one of the photos.
I don't know or care what Falwell was doing when the picture was taken. That is a problem he has to deal with. But -if- the picture is worthy of someone else blackmailing Falwell, what would keep that same picture from being used to blackmail Falwell into endorsing Trump for president?
It would be a shame if Evangelicals were hoodwinked into believing Trump was a changed person just because one of their respected religious leaders succumbed to blackmail.