Mr. Falwell was already on indefinite leave from Liberty by this point, having posted a photograph to Instagram that depicted him holding a glass of dark liquid, with his pants partially unzipped and arm wrapped around his wife’s assistant. The photograph, which was quickly deleted, was taken during a family vacation on a yacht owned by a prominent Liberty supporter.
The school’s board accepted Mr. Falwell’s resignation on Aug. 25. Jerry Prevo, a retired Alaska megachurch pastor and Liberty board member, has been serving as the school’s acting president since Mr. Falwell’s leave.
The suit on Thursday alleges that after the disputed details of Ms. Falwell’s relationship with Mr. Granda were public, Liberty “moved quickly to destroy Mr. Falwell’s reputation in the Liberty community and nationwide.” In particular, the suit highlights a speech the campus pastor, David Nasser, delivered to students shortly after Mr. Falwell’s departure. Mr. Nasser referred to “the things that led to” Mr. Falwell’s resignation as “sinful behavior” and “shameful,” and the suit characterizes the talk as defamatory.
The suit also accuses the Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump organization founded by current and former Republican strategists, of helping publicize Mr. Granda’s account in an attempt to do damage to a prominent Trump supporter. Kurt Bardella, a senior adviser to the Lincoln Project, provided pro bono public relations advice to Mr. Granda for five days after his accusations against the family became public.
The Lincoln Project responded in a statement, “The Lincoln Project has had nothing to do with the public finally learning about the true character of the Falwell family.” Mr. Bardella declined to comment.
“Other than God and my family, there is nothing in the world I love more than Liberty University,” Mr. Falwell said in a statement released by his lawyer on Thursday. “I am saddened that university officials, with whom I have shared so much success and enjoyed such positive relationships, jumped to conclusions about the claims made against my character, failed to properly investigate them, and then damaged my reputation following my forced resignation.”
A spokesman for Liberty, Scott Lamb, said on Thursday afternoon that the school had not been formally served with the suit and therefore could not comment on it. Mr. Falwell and his lawyer did not respond to requests for comment.
