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Liberty U ex-boss Jerry Falwell Jr ‘compares himself to MLK’ after ‘wife’s affair with pool boy’ & picture scandal

EVANGELICAL figure Jerry Falwell Jr has likened himself to Martin Luther King Jr following multiple scandals which led to him resigning from Liberty University in disgrace.

Falwell, , said on Tuesday that he was relieved with how things turned out, and compared himself to Martin Luther King Jr.

Jerry Falwell Jr evoked Martin Luther King Jr when discussing his resignation from Liberty University amid two scandals
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Jerry Falwell Jr evoked Martin Luther King Jr when discussing his resignation from Liberty University amid two scandalsCredit: AP:Associated Press

He : “The quote that keeps going through my mind this morning is Martin Luther King Jr: ‘Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty I’m free at last.'"

Falwell was referencing the quote made famous by King during his 1963 I Have a Dream speech.

A few weeks ago, , days after a to his Instagram of him with his arm around a pregnant woman.

Both he and the woman had their pants partially off.

Falwell initially went on a leave of absence after posting a racy picture to Instagram
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Falwell initially went on a leave of absence after posting a racy picture to InstagramCredit: AP:Associated Press
Falwell endorsed Donald Trump in 2016, giving a significant edge to Trump in the election
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Falwell endorsed Donald Trump in 2016, giving a significant edge to Trump in the electionCredit: AP:Associated Press

On Monday, he said that he was resigning from his job, which DailyMail.com .

Another recent scandal involved the 58-year-old’s wife, , who engaged in an affair with Giancarlo Granda.

Becki - at the time 44 - first picked up Granda in 2012, when the 20-year-old was working as a pool boy in Miami.

on Monday, 29-year-old Granda alleged that Falwell took an active role in the relationship, watching the two have sex multiple times over the course of six years.

A second scandal involved an extramarital relationship between Falwell's wife, Becki, and Giancarlo Granda (pictured)
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A second scandal involved an extramarital relationship between Falwell's wife, Becki, and Giancarlo Granda (pictured)Credit: Reuters
Granda claimed that Falwell would watch when he had sex with Becki
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Granda claimed that Falwell would watch when he had sex with BeckiCredit: AP:Associated Press

Additionally, Granda reportedly showed text messages from Becki in which she says she is “missing him like crazy,” as well as audio footage of the three talking.

“He's like telling me every time he hooks up with people. Like I don't have feelings or something,” Becki said in the audio.

“You're going to make her jealous,” Falwell had responded, directing the statement at Granda.

Falwell has claimed that he was unaware of the affair, and that learning about it caused him mental anguish.

“After I learned [about the affair], I lost 80 pounds and people who saw me regularly thought that I was physically unwell,” Falwell said in a statement.

Falwell claimed that Granda had been attempting to blackmail him and his wife, which Granda denied.

Granda denied this accusation, instead saying that he is simply trying to secure a buyout for the hostel that the three had gone into business running.

Falwell has accused Granda of attempting to extort him and his wife. The three went into business together running a Miami youth hostel
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Falwell has accused Granda of attempting to extort him and his wife. The three went into business together running a Miami youth hostelCredit: Getty Images - Getty

NPR reporter Sarah McCammon she conducted with the couple, in which Falwell said that his focus on work following his father’s death is “probably what caused Becki's mistake.”

The couple denied the claim that Falwell watched his wife have sex with Granda.

The couple denied the claim that Falwell was involved in the relationship, and Falwell blamed the affair on his preoccupation with work
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The couple denied the claim that Falwell was involved in the relationship, and Falwell blamed the affair on his preoccupation with workCredit: Reuters

In one text, Granda hinted that he was willing to take extreme action in response to the Falwells’ actions.

“Since you're okay with ruining my life, I am going to take the kamikaze route,” the text reportedly said.

Falwell said that he has made up with his wife
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Falwell said that he has made up with his wifeCredit: Getty Images - Getty

“It really is a shame because I wanted to reach a peaceful resolution and just move on with our lives but if conflict is what you want, then so be it.”

Both Becki and Jerry Falwell are outspoken supporters of , with Becki serving on the advisory board of Women for Trump. Her husband referred to her as “the first lady of Liberty University.”

Falwell claimed in his statement on the matter that he has since forgiven his wife and that “our love has never been stronger.”

Jerry Falwell taking 'indefinite leave' from Liberty University over voyeur sex scandal after wife's affair with pool boy

Falwell took over Liberty University from his televangelist father, Reverend Jerry Falwell, in 2007.

The school was first started in 1971, and now has over 100,000 online and in-person students. The school has a strict ethical code regarding relationships.

“Sexual relations outside of a biblically ordained marriage between a natural-born man and a natural-born woman are not permissible at Liberty University," the code reads.

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