Politics

Liberty University Police Issue Arrest Warrant For NYT Reporter

(Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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Liberty University police have issued arrest warrants for reporters from the New York Times and Pro Publica, accusing them of trespassing, according to the school’s president Jerry Falwell, Jr.

The arrest warrants for New York Times freelance photographer Julia Rendleman and ProPublica reporter Alec MacGillis were made public by conservative radio host Todd Starnes. The warrants for misdemeanor trespassing were issued after both outlets ran stories criticizing Liberty for continuing to hold classes as most schools suspend operations over the coronavirus pandemic. (RELATED: FLASHBACK: Jan. 21: Fauci Says Coronavirus ‘Not A Major Threat’ To U.S.)

CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 21: President of Liberty University, Jerry Falwell Jr., delivers a speech during the evening session on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention on July 21, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump received the number of votes needed to secure the party's nomination. An estimated 50,000 people are expected in Cleveland, including hundreds of protesters and members of the media. The four-day Republican National Convention kicked off on July 18. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

President of Liberty University, Jerry Falwell Jr. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

The Times published an article late last month about students at the university experiencing symptoms, which the school called misleading. Liberty University President Jerry Falwell has come under fire for his decision to keep his campus open, a decision that he defended in a Daily Caller op-ed earlier this week. (RELATED: People Are Starting To Question The Accuracy Of The White House’s Coronavirus Model)

“Both The New York Times and The Washington Post have taken it upon themselves to intentionally misrepresent and mislead the public about our crisis management, alleged cases of the virus in our campus community, and the course of action that Liberty University is taking to combat the crisis,” Falwell wrote. “They even spread a dangerous and consequential narrative that Liberty is contributing to the pandemic.”