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Former Liberty University president Jerry Falwell Jr. announced Thursday that he had filed a lawsuit against the school, claiming that it had "needlessly injured and damaged his reputation" after his resignation earlier this year.
Catch up quick: Falwell resigned in August after a series of controversial scandals culminated in a Reuters story alleging that he and his wife had a years-long intimate relationship with a business partner.
The state of play: Falwell's lawyers argued that wrongful damage has been done to the evangelical leader's reputation by Liberty's subsequent statements and investigations and alleged he is being attacked for political reasons.
- Falwell, whose father founded the university, has been a major backer of President Trump and the Republican Party.
- He also faced widespread criticism for his controversial political statements and decision to bring students back to campus in March, despite the coronavirus threat.
What he's saying: "Other than God and my family, there is nothing in the world I love more than Liberty University," Falwell said in a statement.
- "I am saddened that university officials ... jumped to conclusions about the claims made against my character, failed to properly investigate them, and then damaged my reputation following my forced resignation."
- "While I have nothing but love and appreciation for the Liberty community, and I had hoped to avoid litigation, I must take the necessary steps to restore my reputation and hopefully help repair the damage to the Liberty University brand in the process."