Cruz “addressed” it by calling it “garbage”. That’s deflection, not denial.
//
Deflection:
Junior, the cookie jar is empty. Your brother Bobby says you ate all the cookies. Did you?
That’s a lie.
Did you eat the cookies?
Bobby’s lying!
Did.you.eat.the.cookies?
Bobby’s a jerk. He’s a liar.
//
Denial:
I did not eat the cookies.
Calling something “complete and utter lies” is both a denial and an accusation, whether you want to think that or not.