Liberty University executive board member Mark DeMoss has resigned from his position after conflict arose when Liberty Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. endorsed Donald Trump for president.
The Blaze reports that DeMoss has been involved with Liberty for many years, serving as Jerry Falwell, Sr.’s chief of staff from 1984 until 1991, as well as serving for many years as chair of the board’s executive committee.
DeMoss alleges the board forced him to resign, while the board maintains that he voluntarily did so.
The conflict arose after Falwell officially endorsed Trump for president back in January 2016. DeMoss, who was concerned about the effect the Chancellor’s endorsement might have on the school, made his concerns known.
“Jerry and a number of fellow Liberty University trustees expressed to me and to the other trustees their disapproval of my speaking publicly about the subject,” he said.
DeMoss says that the board held a vote and asked him to resign because of his comments and disagreement with Falwell’s endorsement.
"I agreed, and did so in remarks to the full board the following morning,” DeMoss continued. “Subsequently, on Monday, April 25, I sent a letter to Jerry and the chairman of the board and the new chairman of the executive committee, tendering my resignation from the board I had served for 25 years.”
However, a statement from the university says that no vote was ever taken forcing DeMoss to resign, but instead, board members individually asked DeMoss to do so: “Mark DeMoss has contradicted the University’s response and offered a different version,” a statement from the university read.
Although at the time of his endorsement, Falwell said he did not aim for his views to influence those of the students, faculty, or staff of the university, DeMoss’s resignation seems to have proven that Falwell’s endorsement nevertheless has had an impact on the university.
Publication date: May 6, 2016
