Controversy was stirred up concerning Liberty University founder Jerry Falwell Jr.'s endorsement of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump when Mark DeMoss, the chief of staff of Falwell's late father, said it was not right to support Trump and his "bullying tactics."
DeMoss told The Washington Post that it was wrong for Falwell to compare Trump to his late father. "Donald Trump certainly does not demonstrate Jerry Falwell Sr.'s graciousness and love for people. Jerry Falwell Sr. would never have made fun of a political opponent's face or makeup or ears. He would not have personally insulted anybody — ever," he said.
This prompted Falwell's wife Becki to come to the defence of her husband. She wrote on her Facebook page that there are "many self-righteous posts from L.U. alumni who are trying to re-write history in an attempt to claim that somehow L.U. has 'changed' for the worse."
She said she could not believe that DeMoss would claim to be Fallwell Sr.'s "confidante" now after resigning from his post during the 80s because he "didn't agree with Dr. Falwell's actions."
She said recent events are consistent with the university's history. At the same time, she believes Falwell Sr. "was outspoken with his politically incorrect statements and embraced sinners" and even "supported a divorced and remarried Hollywood actor over a Southern Baptist Sunday School teacher for president."
When Religion News Service asked DeMoss to comment about Becki's post, he declined to give any. He only wanted to clarify, "I worked closely with Jerry Falwell Sr. from January 1984 – Labor Day 1991 (eight years). For most of that time, I was his chief of staff. The final year of my time there, I gave up my salary because the ministry was going through a difficult financial time and was laying off employees. I left in September 1991 to start a PR firm in Atlanta, which I still lead today."
