Jerry Falwell, Jr. Allegedly Belittles Students and Staff
LEMON: Jerry Falwell, Jr., the president of Liberty University under fire tonight by some students at the evangelical school in Virginia. They are questioning his leadership and they want answers about e- mails he wrote allegedly belittling students and staff members at liberty. Here's CNN's Martin Savage.</s>MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Losing faith, an uncommon sight. Students protesting at one of the largest Christian colleges in the world, targeting the schools president, Jerry Falwell, Jr.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's not being a great religious figure. He's not being a great leader.</s>SAVIDEG (voice-over): Founded in 1971 by his father, Jerry Falwell, Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, today boast a student body of 110,000 students. But Jerry Falwell, Jr. is facing a backlash over the culture and business dealings at the school. And just this week, the revelations from e-mails over the past decade in which Falwell belittle his students and staff members.</s>ELIZABETH BROOKS, JUNIOR LIBERTY UNIVERSITY: We want to know the truth. We want transparency through that process and we want accountability for Falwell himself. We want to know what the president is doing.</s>SAVIDEG (voice-over): Counter protestors were also on hand supporting Falwell.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think a lot of it has just been taken out of context to smear his name, personally, but I think some of it might be true. I think a lot of it probably is exaggerated.</s>SAVIDEG (voice-over): Reuters this week reported on dozens of e- mails, some of which contain offensive language. In one from 2010, Falwell reportedly called a then student emotionally imbalanced and physically retarded. In a 2015 e-mail reported by Reuters, Falwell is quoted as lashing out about students parking and private lots instead of paying parking fees to Liberty, "These students need to learn to play by the rules or they can go to another college. I'm tired of this crap." In other e-mails reported by Reuters, Falwell calls a university official, a bag of hot air who couldn't spell the word profit. In another, Reuters says, Falwell calls another official a half wit and easy to manipulate. Speaking to CNN, Falwell confirmed the e-mails were authentic, but said they lack context saying, "I would have to see the full thread to see what I was talking about." Falwell also told CNN that the e-mails had been stolen and that he's asked the FBI to investigate what he calls a criminal conspiracy saying that former employees and board members have leaked documents and e-mails in an attempt to oust him. Falwell's demands for a federal probe follow a political story based on e-mail and unnamed sources accusing him of presiding over a culture of self-dealing of the university including real estate transactions that would seem to benefit family and associates.</s>SAVIDGE (on camera): When asked about his tumultuous week, Falwell replied, "I really don't care what they say. In the end, they are going to look like fools. So, I'm actually very much enjoying this week." Don?</s>LEMON: Martin Savidge, thank you very much. Should accusations of assault and rape keep a player off the field? That's a question for the new England Patriots and star wide receiver Antonio Brown. What the league and his team are sating, next.