After inviting Liberty University students to the family farm for a “real” graduation party, former university leader Jerry Falwell Jr. has called off the event.
In a statement issued by Becki Falwell, Jerry’s wife, and reported by Lynchburg’s ABC affiliate, the evangelical scion called off the gathering, citing health reasons.
“This is a major disappointment to us since we wanted to celebrate the success of the graduating students and show them our appreciation,” Falwell said in the statement.
The cancellation came after Falwell was videotaped crashing an off-campus stand-up comedy event for Liberty students, where he invited “all seniors” to the family farm on May 8.
“We’re gonna have the real Liberty graduation,” Falwell intoned while holding a mic.
“If you’re not a senior but you date one, you can come, too,” he added.
Last night Jerry Falwell Jr. showed up at a @LibertyU party and invited seniors to an end-of-the-year bash at his house, saying, “We’re going to have the real Liberty graduation.” ???????? pic.twitter.com/MCIWdxb5rg
— Luke Wilson (@wilson_fw) April 30, 2021
Falwell extended the invitation just weeks after Liberty sued him, demanding millions of dollars over how the moral majority son allegedly responded to allegations around his involvement with Giancarlo Granda, who says he engaged in a multi-year relationship with the couple in which Jerry would watch as Granda had sex with Becki. Jerry denies that he was involved, and has instead said that his wife had an affair with Granda.
Liberty argued that Falwell misled the university by concealing both the relationship and alleged extortion attempts by Granda.
The lawsuit was filed as Jerry had made halting attempts at returning to Liberty, after his job as leader of the college ended following the Granda revelations in August 2020, and a set of other scandals.
In an Instagram post published one month before the lawsuit was filed, Jerry showed himself attending a sports game at the college.
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In the statement, Jerry said the lack of a May 8 graduation party was the result of a “respiratory emboli.”
“Last week at an event with Liberty University students, I announced that we would have a big picnic on our family farm for graduating seniors,” the statement reads. “Unfortunately, this weekend I encountered another bout of symptoms resulting from the respiratory emboli that were first diagnosed last year.”
Falwell first announced that he had been suffering from lung problems in a March Instagram post, saying that he had been admitted to NYU Langone hospital for treatment.
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