Don’t answer that second one. News this week that someone at Liberty University (there’s two words that warrant deconstruction here) took bribes to fake the results of polls in order to suggest Trump was more popular than the data suggested. The Chronicle of Higher Ed has coverage, here’s a sample:
President Trump’s former top lawyer paid Liberty University’s chief information officer to manipulate online polls in an effort to raise Trump’s profile before his successful presidential campaign, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. The news shows a deeper relationship than previously reported between the president and employees of the university, a private Christian institution located in Virginia and led by Jerry L. Falwell Jr., a prominent Trump ally.
The Liberty technology administrator, John Gauger, also created a Twitter account, @WomenForCohen, to promote the president’s lawyer, Michael Cohen, according to the Journal. “Strong, pit bull, sex symbol, no nonsense, business oriented, and ready to make a difference,” the account’s description read on Thursday.
In one post reviewed by The Chronicle, the @WomenForCohen account shared a photo of Cohen, Falwell, and his wife. “Love to see good #Christian people on board the #TrumpTrain #Liberty #Trump2016,” the account wrote. The Journal reported that a female friend of Gauger operated the @WomenForCohen account.
The only disagreement between briber and recipient seems to be how the money was received. Gauger claims he received a plastic bag of cash (how gauche!), which Cohen emphatically denies, claiming it was a check. Imagine…as if that’s the issue! Netflix…we need you.