Ted Cruz's latest fundraising emails show him waffling on his own lie

Supporters of Sen. Ted Cruz can be forgiven if they’re confused by a fund-raising email sent to them today by the man dubbed “Lyin Ted” by Donald Trump.

Cruz exploited a February 20 appearance on Fox News to raise money off of a distorted claim that Trump was spied upon by opponent Hilary Clinton. For those who read the first part of the email, Cruz expressed no doubt about an allegation from Special Counsel John Durham’s investigation.

Here was Cruz’s explosive takeaway in the email:

“They spied on him at his home, they spied on him at his office, and indeed, they were spying on the White House itself – they were spying on a sitting president.

“Donald Trump said this was happening.

“The media & Democrats mocked him and ignored it.

“But President Trump was absolutely right!"

That was bold stuff. It wasn’t remotely accurate, as reported at RawStory.com last week. But it was bold.

But ever the too-clever-by-half lawyer, Cruz strangely qualified his most bodacious claim:

“This is MUCH bigger than Watergate if these allegations are all true…”

Wait a minute. If these allegations are all true? You said just that Trump was "absolutely right” that he was spied upon as a sitting president" (even though the alleged spying would have involved government servers before he took office).

Cruz had pivoted in one sentence from certainty to conditionality. Would his supporters be savvy enough to notice that?

Not if they’re naïve enough to fall for his kill shot:

“The Democrats and even some Republicans want me to keep quiet about this -- but I won’t stop asking questions and pushing for the truth.

“Please chip in to show your support now.”