Jerry Falwell Jr. Spent Millions Of Nonprofit Liberty University Funds On GOP Organizations

In August, Jerry Falwell Jr. resigned from his position as president at Liberty University after he denied multiple accusations in a sex scandal and questionable spending of university funds on friends and family. However, Liberty’s board is still undecided on what should remain of Falwell Jr.’s legacy and the partisan direction he pushed the private Christian university toward.

A 501c(3) nonprofit, Liberty University technically is not supposed to be endorsing or supporting any political candidate, nor are they supposed to contribute any money towards any political campaigns. Liberty, however, still has the Falkirk Center, a “think-tank” named for Falwell Jr. and Republican activist Charlie Kirk. The Center, created in 2019, “purchased campaign-seasoned ads on Facebook, at least $50,000’s worth of which were designated by the network as political ads, that promoted [President] Trump and other Republican candidates by name,” according to a report from Politico. Falwell, who endorsed Trump in 2016, has also spent millions of Liberty’s funds on Republican causes.

For example, Falkirk held a summit on Chinese policy last July at Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. While there were no Democratic speakers, hosts of GOP officials and Trump allies were in attendance.

The Falkirk Center reportedly produces no peer-reviewed academic work, but has instead created pro-Trump ads, hired Trump friends including former adviser Sebastian Gorka and Trump attorney Jenna Ellis.

University spokesman Scott Lamb denied claims of partisanship at Liberty University and said that donations to Republican groups are “consistent with the mission and focus” with Liberty as an evangelical Christian university.