LU responds to WSJ report accusing employee of rigging polls for Trump

Liberty University is responding to a Wall Street Journal report, accusing a current LU employee of receiving money to manipulate online polls prior to the 2016 presidential race.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, paid John Gauger $50,000 to rig online polls in favor of the Trump campaign.

Gauger, owner of RedFinch Solutions LLC, currently serves as chief information officer at Liberty University. The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday Gauger received the sum of money from Cohen after meeting at Cohen's Trump Organization office.

While not responding to the allegations directly, Liberty University released a statement acknowledging Gauger's employment and praising his efforts outside the school. The full statement, which was not attributed to a specific individual at the school, is printed below:

Liberty University, like many other educational institutions, has permitted its employees for many years to engage in business, consulting and other side work that does not interfere with their employment obligations to the University. Also, like other organizations, Liberty recognizes the strong demand for highly skilled IT professionals creates special challenges in recruiting and retaining talented employees with those skills and experience. The opportunity for Liberty’s IT employees to develop businesses and products is particularly important to attracting and maintaining Liberty’s IT talent. John Gauger is one example among many outstanding LU employees who have made great contributions in their official roles and also enjoyed success as independent entrepreneurs, allowing them to enhance their capabilities and generate more revenue for their families while allowing the University to retain them on our team."