Jerry Falwell Jr., currently on a leave of absence as the leader of evangelical Liberty University, has released a statement saying that he is seeking help for the “emotional toll” of an affair his wife had with a man who he says later threatened his family.
By SARAH RANKIN and ELANA SCHOR RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Jerry Falwell Jr.’s future at evangelical Liberty University was unclear late Monday, with a senior school official saying he had resigned from his leadership post but Falwell telling at least one news outlet that he does not plan to leave permanently. A formal announcement from the school was expected later Monday, according to the school official, who spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss it. The disclosure of Falwell’s resignation followed the publication of news stories about his wife’s sexual encounters with a much younger business partner. But Virginia Business reported that Falwell, who was already on an indefinite leave of absence, said in a phone interview he has not agreed to leave the post permanently, nor does he plan to. Falwell did not return a call from the AP seeking comment. The uncertainty developed a day after Falwell issued a statement to The Washington Examiner publicly disclosing that his wife had an extramarital affair and saying the man involved had been threatening to reveal the relationship “to deliberately embarrass my wife, family, and Liberty University unless we agreed to pay him substantial monies.
