GOP lawmaker calls for Jerry Falwell Jr. to step down as president of Liberty University
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A North Carolina congressman with connections to Liberty University is calling on the school’s president to resign because of his “appalling” behavior.
Rep. Mark Walker, R-N.C., a former instructor at the evangelical school in Virginia, contends Jerry Falwell Jr. should step down in the wake of a viral photo in which the president is shown in an unfavorable light.
Walker, the vice chair of the House Republican Conference, said he still serves on a music faculty advisory board at the college.
“I’m convinced Falwell should step down,” said Walker, a former pastor. “None of us are perfect, but students, faculty, alumni and @LUPraise deserve better,” referring to the school’s gospel choir.
Jerry Falwell Jr’s ongoing behavior is appalling.
As a Music Faculty Advisory Board Member and former instructor @LibertyU, I’m convinced Falwell should step down.
None of us are perfect, but students, faculty, alumni and @LUPraise deserve better.
— Rep. Mark Walker (@RepMarkWalker) August 6, 2020
The photo in question made waves this week when he had a post on Instagram with his arm around a woman on a yacht, both with their pants apparently unzipped. Falwell is holding a glass containing a dark-colored liquid while the caption read: “More vacation shots. Lots of good friends visited us on the yacht. I promise that’s just black water in my glass. It was a prop only.”
After backlash, the post was taken down.
Falwell said he felt remorse for the photo but said it was “just in good fun.”
“I’ve apologized to everybody,” the 58-year-old son of Liberty founder Jerry Falwell Sr. contended during an interview on Lynchburg, Va., radio station WLNI. “And I’ve promised my kids I’m going to try to be — I’m gonna try to be a good boy from here on out.”
Here is the audio of a very drunk Jerry Falwell, Jr. calling into a *morning* radio show to explain (unintentionally) why he looked like a drunk, unzipped mess on his yacht. He had posted this photo on Instagram, which would have gotten a student kicked out of his own @LibertyU. pic.twitter.com/ouzZIZ5c07
— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) August 5, 2020
The photo was condemned by liberals and conservatives, as the evangelical university that Falwell leads enforces a strict code of conduct for its students.