EXCLUSIVE: ORU President Reacts To Lawsuit

Friday, October 12th 2007, 6:45 am

By: News On 6

Oral Roberts University President Richard Roberts reacts to the lawsuit filed against him and the university. His first Tulsa television interview was on Fridayâ€™s Six in the Morning with anchor LeAnne Taylor. Students at ORU are now on fall break, and The News On 6â€™s Emory Bryan reports theyâ€™re not the only ones happy to be on break.

"It might not come to any surprise to you, I'm ready for fall break, too,â€ said ORU President Richard Roberts.

It's been one week since three former professors filed a lawsuit against Oral Roberts University, accusing President Richard Roberts of using university funds for lavish personal spending, using his position to influence political races and then firing them for complaining.

President Roberts says the accusations are false, and were rumors that he had heard before.

"If you take the allegation, a part of truth has been spoken and then it's twisted and made into something that it's not,â€ said Roberts.

The professors behind the lawsuit say the most salacious details were left out, but their attorney says they'll come out in time, when it's necessary.

President Richard Roberts apologized to the Oral Roberts University community for the bad publicity resulting from the lawsuit and said he's determined to find out what happened and make changes as needed.

"I'm not perfect, nobody is perfect and if some sort of oversight or mistake has been made, let's find it, let's correct it and let's go on down the road,â€ said ORU President Richard Roberts.

The university president has already made his case nationally on CNN, and locally with students at the daily chapel service.

He's defended his right to express political opinions as he's done in the last two mayoral campaigns in Tulsa.

"I am saying this as a private citizen, I have a right and every American has a right to endorse a candidate as a private citizen,â€ said ORU President Richard Roberts.

Though there has been a lot of reaction from President Roberts in the media, there has not been any response in court. The next step will be for Oral Roberts University to file a response.

To read the lawsuit against Roberts, click here.

Watch the video: ORU President Speak Out About Lawsuit

Related Stories:

10/01/2007 - Lawsuit Against ORU To Be Filed

10/2/2007 - Three Former Professors Sue School

10/9/2007 - Group Demands Roberts Step Down As ORU President

10/9/2007 - Richard Roberts Talks About Lawsuit On â€œLarry King Liveâ€

10/11/2007 - Richard Roberts Agrees To News On 6 Interview