Liberty University has reportedly partnered with a Christian non-profit women's group to sponsor bus trips for students from the campus in Lynchburg, Va. to Washington, D.C. on Thursday morning to show support for embattled Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
USA Today reported on Thursday that the university, whose president, Jerry Falwell Jr., is an ardent supporter of President Trump, is working with the organization Concerned Women for America (CWA) to take students to Washington to support the judge as he faces multiple allegations of sexual misconduct.
Once they arrive in Washington, the students will participate in a "I Stand With Brett" rally on Capitol Hill. They reportedly will be excused from classes if they attend.
CWA's president and CEO, Penny Nance, told the newspaper that the rally is expected to draw hundreds of attendees as members of the Senate Judiciary Committee prepare to hear directly from Christine Blasey Ford, the college professor who earlier this month accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault when they were in high school.
"Our goal is to just get support for him. Moral support," Victoria Belk, the president of the university’s chapter of Young Women for America, the campus version of CWA, told the publication. "This could be our brother, our dad, our boyfriend and we strongly believe in our justice system and you’re innocent until proven guilty.”
Falwell also reportedly urged his students to sign up for the trip at a student gathering on Wednesday.
"I think the Republicans are going above and beyond giving the accuser the right to be heard, maybe more than they should, but I think they should be commended for hearing her out, for taking her seriously and delaying the process so she can be heard," Falwell said.
Kavanaugh and Ford will be testifying under oath before the Senate Judiciary Committee and the American public on Thursday morning. According to a recent NPR-PBS Newshour-Marist poll, roughly 6 in 10 Americans will be closely following the proceedings.
So far, Kavanaugh is facing five allegations of sexual misconduct, each of which he has denied.
Trump has also pushed back on allegations against Kavanaugh and on Wednesday called the judge "one of the highest quality people I've ever met” during a press conference.
