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Jerry Falwell Jr quits Liberty University role amid sex scandal University to discuss Jerry Falwell Jr's fate amid sex scandal
(about 8 hours later)
The head of a major US evangelical college has quit his job after being accused of hypocrisy. The board of a leading US evangelical college will meet on Tuesday to discuss the fate of its embattled president, currently embroiled in a sex scandal.
Mr Falwell Jr came in for criticism after posting a photo of himself with his trousers unzipped on Instagram. A business associate of Jerry Falwell Jr claimed this week he had been involved in a sexual relationship with Mr Falwell and his wife.
A business partner has also claimed to have been involved in a sexual relationship with Mr Falwell Jr, who heads Liberty University, and his wife. He had been put on leave from Liberty University after sharing a photo of himself with his trousers unzipped.
The college has a strict honour code which bans sexual relations "outside of a biblically ordained marriage". Mr Falwell is a vocal supporter of US President Donald Trump.
A vocal supporter of US President Donald Trump, Mr Falwell Jr took over at the college in 2007 after the death of his father, Jerry Falwell. On Monday, he resigned from his post - a decision he later rescinded before confirming he was stepping down after all.
Mr Falwell Sr founded the university in the 1970s as well as the conservative Moral Majority movement. He took over at the college in 2007 after the death of his father, Jerry Falwell.
Mr Falwell Sr founded the private evangelical university in Virginia in the 1970s as well as the conservative Moral Majority movement.
What are the allegations?
Jerry Falwell Jr first took an indefinite leave of absence from Liberty University earlier this month after posting a photo of himself on Instagram with his trousers unzipped and his arm around a woman.
Mr Falwell had conceded that the photo was "weird" but defended it as "all in good fun". But his actions provoked accusations of hypocrisy. Liberty University has a strict code of conduct for how students must behave, including barring premarital sex and the consumption of media with sexual content and nudity.
On Monday, further allegations emerged. Giancarlo Granda, a business partner of Mr Falwell's, told Reuters news agency that he had had a six-year sexual relationship with the evangelical leader and his wife, Becki Falwell.
A lawyer for Mr Falwell told Reuters before their article came out that his client "categorically denies everything you indicated you intend to publish about him".
On Sunday, Mr Falwell released a statement to the Washington Examiner saying his wife had had an affair and that the man involved had threatened to "deliberately embarrass my wife, family, and Liberty University".
He also spoke of the "emotional toll" the affair had had on him, and said he was seeking help.
Ironic twist of fate for Evangelical leader
Four years ago Jerry Falwell Jr stunned Christian conservatives by endorsing Donald Trump for president. The religious leader's backing, given before the Republican primaries even began, was the first step in the unlikely alliance between Mr Trump - the thrice-married New York businessman - and the religious right.
In the ensuing months, Mr Falwell served as one of Mr Trump's most outspoken defenders, advocating on his behalf at debates and on television.
Now, on the eve of the Republican convention, Mr Falwell is out as president of Liberty University, following a series of controversies culminating in allegations that he and his wife had an affair with much younger man.
It will be an unwanted distraction for Republicans and fuel suggestions that there may have been more to Mr Falwell's endorsement than first met the eye. As the New York Times reported, Trump's personal lawyer at the time, Michael Cohen, helped Mr Falwell smother earlier allegations about this relationship.
The Falwell episode recalls sex scandals that sank past prominent evangelical leaders such a Jim Bakker, who in 1987 quit over allegations of hush money payments for an alleged rape.
It was Mr Falwell's father who took over Bakker's ministry, calling him a liar, a sexual deviant and "the greatest scab and cancer on the face of Christianity".
Jerry Fallwell Jr's current predicament makes for an ironic twist of fate.
Back and forthBack and forth
Jerry Falwell Jr first took an indefinite leave of absence from Liberty University earlier this month after posting a photo of himself with his trousers unzipped on Instagram. On Monday, US media reported that Mr Falwell had resigned from Liberty University, citing officials from the institution.
On Monday, US media reported he had resigned, citing officials from the institution. Mr Falwell Jr denied the reports, telling Politico news site they were untrue. But Mr Falwell later reversed course later that night, telling his attorneys not to tender the letter for immediate resignation following media reports on the scandal.
The university issued a statement saying Mr Falwell Jr had changed his mind: "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." Mr Falwell spoke out to several US media outlets, telling the Wall Street Journal newspaper that he was still entitled his full compensation.
In a further U-turn, Mr Falwell Jr eventually confirmed to ABC News and the Wall Street Journal that he had resigned. "The board put me on leave, took away my duties as prez, and that's not permitted by my contract," Mr Falwell said on Monday night. "And they put me on leave because of pressure from self-righteous people."
In a further U-turn, after hours of conflicting reports, he told US outlets ABC News and the Wall Street Journal that he had sent his resignation letter to Liberty University's board.
The executive committee and board of the evangelical college said it would meet on Tuesday to discuss the matter.The executive committee and board of the evangelical college said it would meet on Tuesday to discuss the matter.
What are the allegations? Mr Falwell was one of the earliest evangelical supporters of the current US president, often credited with helping deliver that constituency to then-candidate Donald Trump in 2016.
Mr Falwell Jr was already under scrutiny for a photograph he posted online earlier this month. He appeared in the image with his trousers unzipped and his arm around a woman.
The image provoked outrage and charges of hypocrisy from the political right and left and Liberty University asked Mr Falwell to take an "indefinite leave of absence" soon after.
Further allegations emerged. Giancarlo Granda, a business partner of Falwell Jr's, told Reuters news agency on Monday that he had a six-year sexual relationship with the evangelical leader and his wife, Becki Falwell.
"Becki and I developed an intimate relationship and Jerry enjoyed watching from the corner of the room," Mr Granda reportedly said in an interview.
The college's honour code states that "sexual relations outside of a biblically ordained marriage between a natural-born man and a natural-born woman are not permissible at Liberty University".
A lawyer for Mr Falwell Jr told Reuters before their article came out that his client "categorically denies everything you indicated you intend to publish about him".
On Sunday, Mr Falwell Jr released a statement to the Washington Examiner saying his wife had had an affair and that the man involved had threatened to "deliberately embarrass my wife, family, and Liberty University".
He also spoke of the "emotional toll" the affair had had on him.