In an Extraordinary Move, Jerry Falwell Takes Back His Resignation and Then Resigns Again(UPDATED)

In this seemingly never ending story, Falwell told the WSJ that he did indeed submit his resignation. He doesn’t sound contrite though referring to self-righteous people who put pressure on the board.

Amazing.

8/25/20 – You just knew this was going get worse.

……………………….

In a day full of surprises, Liberty University just issued this press release:

Jerry Falwell, Jr. agrees to resign as Liberty University’s president then reverses course

August 24, 2020 : By Office of Communications & Public Engagement

Lynchburg, VA—On the first day of classes of Liberty University’s fall term, Jerry Falwell, Jr., agreed to resign as its President and from its Board of Directors, but following media reports about the resignation, withdrew it.

The Executive Committee’s Board of Trustees asked Falwell to go on indefinite leave of absence on August 7, to which he agreed. Since that time, additional matters came to light that made it clear that it would not be in the best interest of the University for him to return from leave and serve as President. The Executive Committee met this morning and a conference call gathering of the full Board was planned for tomorrow.

Falwell responded by agreeing to resign immediately as President of Liberty University today but then instructed his attorneys to not tender the letter for immediate resignation. The Executive Committee will go forward with its meeting in the morning followed by the full Board.

Acting President Jerry Prevo said, “I call upon the University community and supporters to be in prayer for the University and for all its leadership, past, present and future, as we walk with the Lord through this stormy time of transition.”

Over the past several days, Falwell claimed his wife had a brief affair with Giancarlo Granda, also known as “the pool boy.” Then today, Granda told Reuters that Falwell knew of the affair and seemed to encourage it.

There may be other sordid details, but one loose end has implications beyond Liberty University and the Falwell family. Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen was involved in helping Jerry Falwell bury racy photos of Falwell’s wife. We now have an idea who might have been the source of those photos. Is it possible that Cohen and Trump used the kompromat on the Falwells to get an early endorsement from him?

The fall out from Falwell’s endorsement cost him a high profile board member in Mark Demoss. It still seems quite surprising that Falwell went all in for Trump not long after he declined to endorse anyone. Given the bizarre twists and turns of this story, I think it is reasonable to wonder if Cohen and this story are related.

To go back where this story started, read Brandon Ambrosino’s article on the real estate deal involving Giancarlo Granda.

For a summary of the Giancarlo Granda connection, see the Miami New Times explainer.

56 thoughts on “In an Extraordinary Move, Jerry Falwell Takes Back His Resignation and Then Resigns Again(UPDATED)”

  1. Looks like Jerry is “taking back” his resignation again.

    https://www.foxnews.com/us/jerry-falwell-sues-liberty-university-defamation-sex-scandal

    My favorite line is Falwell claiming: “Liberty’s actions are antithetical to the teachings of Christ,”

    I don’t really see what Falwell is hoping to get from this lawsuit. If he thinks the board is going to re-instate him, he’s as crazy as Trump. Also, if this actually goes to trial, Falwell will have to take the stand and testify under oath about what happened with the pool boy and his other questionable behaviour.

  2. So, Liberty University has found out that its president and his wife, a fellow employee, were not exemplifying the character of Jesus Christ therefore, they were asked to resign. That shows that LU is biblically based since they followed what was prescribed in 1 Corinthians 5 by expelling the immoral brother.

    The same cannot be said about Grove City College, a school whose employees, both directly and indirectly, while online, glorify sexual immorality and ungodly Communist political system. Furthermore, these GCC faculty members, are publicly demonizing God-fearing Christians who are standing up against these wicked deeds. The fact is that GCC continues them to be on their payroll (I am not disputing their right to hire whoever they want as a private organization) clearly shows their commitment to following God’s word in comparison with LU.

    1. TV,

      Would expelling the immoral brother mean he is allowed to get a severance package (or if you prefer get his tithes and offerings back) on the way out the door?

      What about the Board and remaining leadership for making amends to all those students and faculty who condemned Falwell on his sins and confronted him on it but were punished, expelled, fired, and sanctioned by the Board? This is no different than David conspiring to have Uriah killed in battle so he could cover up his sin.

      LU’s commitment to God’s Word is laughable considering Falwell’s wide-ranging sins go back years and the Board did nothing.

  3. So, Liberty University has found out that its president and his wife, a fellow employee, were not exemplifying the character of Jesus Christ therefore, they were asked to resign. That shows that LU is biblically based since they followed what was prescribed in 1 Corinthians 5 by expelling the immoral brother.

    The same cannot be said about Grove City College, a school whose employees, both directly and indirectly, while online, glorify sexual immorality and ungodly Communist political system. Furthermore, these GCC faculty members, are publicly demonizing God-fearing Christians who are standing up against these wicked deeds. The fact is that GCC continues them to be on their payroll (I am not disputing their right to hire whoever they want as a private organization) clearly shows their commitment to following God’s word in comparison with LU.

    1. TV,

      Would expelling the immoral brother mean he is allowed to get a severance package (or if you prefer get his tithes and offerings back) on the way out the door?

      What about the Board and remaining leadership for making amends to all those students and faculty who condemned Falwell on his sins and confronted him on it but were punished, expelled, fired, and sanctioned by the Board? This is no different than David conspiring to have Uriah killed in battle so he could cover up his sin.

      LU’s commitment to God’s Word is laughable considering Falwell’s wide-ranging sins go back years and the Board did nothing.

    2. TV,

      Would expelling the immoral brother mean he is allowed to get a severance package (or if you prefer get his tithes and offerings back) on the way out the door?

      What about the Board and remaining leadership for making amends to all those students and faculty who condemned Falwell on his sins and confronted him on it but were punished, expelled, fired, and sanctioned by the Board? This is no different than David conspiring to have Uriah killed in battle so he could cover up his sin.

      LU’s commitment to God’s Word is laughable considering Falwell’s wide-ranging sins go back years and the Board did nothing.

      1. I am not excusing Falwell’s sins, nor am I denying LU’s imperfections, but I still consider it a better school than those so-called progressive Christian ones, like Fuller Seminary, Hope College, and GCC. I just find it highly hypocritical for progressive Christians to lament on the sins of conservative Christians by claiming that because we sin, we are somehow farther from God than they are. To me, it looks like the progressives don’t care about God or Jesus, they only care about a revolution based on Marxism.

        1. No one has said that “conservative Christians are somehow further from God” anywhere in this thread. Project much?

          Better how? Because it looks like they have this veneer of piety, speak the right “conservative” Christian lingo, and have a code of conduct, policies, and positions that on paper are conservative. Yet beneath it all is the truth: It is hypocrisy and lip service as the actions clearly show.

          A cursory view of Scriptures reveals that the biggest beef and anger of Christ was hypocrisy. I seem to recall Christ saying something in Matthew 15 about people who honor him with their lips.

          Rest assured there is plenty of the hypocrisy of progressive Christian leaders (Bill Hybels and the Willow Creek debacle comes to mind). And that also been pointed out in this forum and elsewhere.

          Finally, LU is noted for insisting that secondary and tertiary issues and debates within the body of Christ be elevated to primary issues (i.e. one determines if you are really a Christian or not). Example A is YEC. Example B is woman pastors.

  4. Ewww… I had a suspicion that the pool boy wasn’t the first.


    Former Liberty student alleges sexual encounter with Becki Falwell

    A former Liberty University student says Becki Falwell, the wife of the
    university’s then-President Jerry Falwell Jr., jumped into bed with him
    and performed oral sex on him while he stayed over at the Falwell home
    after a band practice with her eldest son in 2008.

    https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/27/becki-falwell-affair-liberty-university-student-band-jerry-402559

    1. Or the last. Maybe the swingers websites will have an ad for some Virginia-based couple.

      The cat is out of the bag. Falwell, Jr. is out and he has he $10 million, so why not?

  5. I don’t think Jerry Falwell Jr. had much to do with Trump’s election win. We’ll see.

  6. Warren: Since the Falwell, Jr. news has sucked quite a bit of the O2 out of things, what is the latest on the court cases and hearings about MacArthur and the local health board?

  7. The NY Times ran in article in June of 2019 that connected almost all of the dots between Michael Cohen, the pool boy and the Falwells. The article also claims that Jerry had promised Ted Cruz’s father to endorse Ted. Instead, several months after Michael Cohen fixed/didn’t fix the racy picture problem, Falwell abruptly announced his support for Trump. And we’ve had the two Corinthian guys ever since. The End.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/18/us/trump-falwell-endorsement-michael-cohen.html

  8. When the story of Falwell’s resignation initially broke, I heard someone say that they almost felt sorry for him. I said I didn’t. Setting aside the details of his sexual relationships (really tough for us Christians to do, what with our obsession on the subject), he was engaging in behavior which he (and his paying customers) would be publicly opposed to – and which, no doubt, would get any other member of Liberty, faculty, staff, or student, the keys to the street. The hypocrisy alone was a firable offense IMHO. Last night’s last-minute denial and retraction of his resignation confirmed my assessment. He is a power-hungry egotist, which again IMHO is much more disqualifying for a Christian educator than swinging.

  9. ABC News is reporting that Jerry Falwell, Jr, officially resigned as President of Liberty University as of 12:03 AM (EDT) Monday night. Apparently, he resigned, un-resigned, and has now resigned again.

    1. Further breaking news … as of approx. 12 hrs later, his 2nd resignation has not yet been rescinded … stand by for further soap opera developments …

    2. Tune in tomorrow for the latest twist on The Cuck and Cougar Show!
      Only on TBN!

      1. My guess is Falwell is angling for a generous “severance package.” I suspect when the story of his resignation leaked, nothing was finalized so he got worried it would impact his severance. He withdrew it to have a better negotiating stance.

      2. He’s pissed. Absent this final revelation, no doubt he was intending to be president for life at Liberty, just like his dad. The most likely sequence was:

        — “Oh crap, it’s all about to come out — I quit!”
        — Talks to lawyers who tell him he shouldn’t do anything until he’s agreed terms with the board.
        — “I ain’t going nowhere until you arrange my retirement package, honorary presidency of LU, lifetime use of university facilities, an executive suite at all the football and basketball games in perpetuity, etc.
        — Reads the headlines again. Consults lawyers about silencing accuser. No dice. Talks to family. They tell him he has to resign too. There’s no way out.
        — “Ok, I quit!” he says, still seething at the perceived injustice of it all.

  10. Sex and money. A very old story, and no less sordid for that. Also, one of the most embarrassing cases of a public midlife crisis we’ve seen since, well, Stormy Daniels. Who would make a better president than either Falwell or Trump.

    1. It will be interesting to see if students speak out against Falwell’s latest example of theological bankruptcy (since Liberty U’s faculty remain silent). Was Giancarlo Granda the only one on Liberty University’s payroll to provide sexual favors for the Falwells, or are there others? Time for a third-party financial audit.

  11. Warren,
    your TDS is showing with your connection of Falwell’s endorsement of Trump to blackmail.

    considering how Cohen has been singing like a bird, I find it doubtful that he would leave out such juicy gossip.

    Falwell may be waiting for the board to meet on Tuesday to obtain a lucrative golden parachute before he departs. At this point, it’s most likely about money.

    1. Remember that TDS comes in both Positive and Negative polarities, and Junior (like other Court Evangelicals) has a terminal case of Positive Polarity TDS.

      Given the known personalities and general level of sleaze in this whole affair, Cohen blackmailing Junior sounds very very plausible.

      1. Nothing like a bunch of good old kompromat to force Junior to endorse Trump (when Junior said earlier he was not supporting or endorsing anybody) in exchange for pictures of his cuckoldry.

    2. Richard, if you aren’t suffering from TDS there’s something wrong with you. Either you’re not paying attention, or your moral compass needs re-calibrating.

  12. Considering how sordid some of the details seem to be, I can’t understand why Falwell didn’t let the resignation stand and retire gracefully–i.e., take the money and run. Is he angling for a bigger payout to go away? This could get quite messy, and might even cause parents of Liberty U. students to reconsider the wisdom of sending their kids there. I’ll bet the Board of Directors is beside itself.

    1. I know this much, most students will now ignore the conduct codes regarding mingling of the sexes…

      1. It will be interesting to learn what actions students at Liberty U are now taking. They’ve been the only demographic to challenge Falwell’s bankrupt theology in previous years, as Liberty admin and faculty have remained silent, just as they are silent today. Falwell’s departure only means the students now face Falwell’s enablers: Liberty’s Board of Trustees and entire executive leadership team.

        For now, maybe students can publicly ask: was Giancarlo Granda the only one on Liberty University’s payroll providing sexual favors for the Falwells, or are there others? Time for a third-party financial audit.

        1. Faculty and staff there can’t speak out due to the threat of being fired (and NDAs I suspect).

          It remains to be seen if the new Pres. of Liberty U. will just be another Jerry Lite (i.e. same autocratic attitudes for running the school but w/o the scandals) or someone who loosens the reigns more.

          I think it would be better for students to push for a more “open” campus environment for the staff/faculty than to dwell too much on Falwell’s misdeeds (other than as a way of showing how it has cause the current problems).

          1. To paraphrase someone else (not remembering who right now): Falwell’s misdeeds are not a glitch or an error; Falwell’s misdeeds represent the operating system itself. So I hope students push for an entirely new theological and financial foundation, far beyond Liberty University’s abuse-enabling Board of Trustees and executive leadership.

      2. I suspect a lot of students were already ignoring those codes. They were just more discreet about it than the Pres. was.

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