Jerry Falwell Jr. denied reports Monday that said he agreed to resign as president of Liberty University amid controversy.
In an interview with Virginia Business, Falwell Jr. said that these reports are “completely false.” This clashes with what Scott Lamb, a spokesman for the Christian school, told CNN. Lamb said that an official statement from the university was forthcoming. Other outlets reported Monday afternoon that a school official confirmed the resignation.
[Liberty University: Falwell agreed to resign as president but reneged after media reports]
Earlier in the day, Reuters published a report about Giancarlo Granda, a business partner of Falwell Jr., claiming he had an affair lasting several years with the evangelical leader’s wife, Becki, and that Falwell Jr. was involved. “Becki and I developed an intimate relationship, and Jerry enjoyed watching from the corner of the room,” Granda said.
Falwell Jr. acknowledged the affair ahead of the report’s release but denied being aware of it at the time it occurred. He added that the ordeal brought him severe depression.
“Becki had an inappropriate personal relationship with this person, something in which I was not involved — it was nonetheless very upsetting to learn about. After I learned this, I lost 80 pounds and people who saw me regularly thought that I was physically unwell, when in reality I was just balancing how to be most supportive of Becki, who I love, while also reflecting and praying about whether there were ways I could have been more supportive of her and given her proper attention,” he said in a Sunday statement to the Washington Examiner.
He claimed that Granda “began threatening to publicly reveal this secret relationship,” characterizing him as having “increasingly erratic behavior and unreasonable demands.” Granda denied claims that he attempted to threaten Falwell’s family.
“Any allegation of extortion is falsely, defamatory and belied by clear documentary evidence. The Falwell’s attempt to sandbag me, and the Examiner, with a last minute story without providing the Examiner clear evidence that this was not simply an ‘affair’ with concocted allegations of extortion reeks desperation. The WHOLE truth will come out,” Granda told the Washington Examiner.
Falwell Jr. took an indefinite leave of absence from the religious school earlier this month after posting an image on social media many deemed inappropriate. The school’s Board of Trustees requested Falwell Jr. step down from his leadership roles, to which he agreed.
“The Executive Committee of Liberty University’s Board of Trustees, acting on behalf of the full Board, met today and requested that Jerry Falwell, Jr. take an indefinite leave of absence from his roles as President and Chancellor of Liberty University, to which he has agreed, effective immediately,” Liberty University said in a statement at the time.
Falwell Jr. faced scrutiny for an image he posted on Instagram, and he later deleted it. The picture showed him with his wife’s assistant both wearing unzipped pants. Part of his underwear was visible.
Falwell Jr. was the fourth president of the university. The school’s name, Liberty, stems from a Bible verse in 2 Corinthians, which reads, “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”
The school’s motto states: “We, the Champions, in order to affirm our tradition of unwavering faith, ignite a passion for wisdom, challenge perspectives, inspire creativity, and pursue knowledge. We resolve to be the voice for the voiceless, bring healing to the hurting, fight for the oppressed, defend freedom, defy stereotypes, and follow God’s calling wherever it may lead.”
Prior to his leadership role at the university, Falwell Jr. worked in real estate and practiced law in Virginia, at one point, serving as the school’s general counsel. Both he and his wife graduated from the school.
Falwell Sr., his father who died in 2007, was a renowned evangelical pastor and founded Liberty University. Like his son, Falwell Sr. openly defended his topical conservative political views, which included opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage. He founded the “Moral Majority” organization in 1979, an institution that promulgated socially conservative point-of-views. It’s regarded as an element that assisted former President Ronald Reagan’s political victories.
Haley Victory Smith contributed to this report.
