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Monday, March 18, 2024
March 18, 2024

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Huckabee backs Duggar, slams those ‘sensationalizing’ molestation allegations

The Columbian
Published:

A day after reality TV star Josh Duggar apologized amid allegations that he molested several underage girls while he was a teenager, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee criticized “those who have enjoyed revealing this long ago sins.”

“Josh’s actions when he was an underage teen are as he described them himself, ‘inexcusable,’ but that doesn’t mean ‘unforgivable,’ ” Huckabee said in a statement posted Friday on Facebook. “He and his family dealt with it and were honest and open about it with the victims and the authorities. No purpose whatsoever is served by those who are now trying to discredit Josh or his family by sensationalizing the story.”

Duggar stepped down as executive director of the Family Research Council’s political arm Thursday, saying he had “acted inexcusably.” He also said he had spoken with authorities about what he described as his “wrongdoing” and said that “my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling.”

Huckabee, a 2016 GOP presidential hopeful, recently received the endorsement of the Duggar family, stars of TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting.” On May 15, he posted on Twitter: “Great to visit w/ my friend GovMikeHuckabee this morning in DC. Thankful to have his voice on the 2016 stage! pic.twitter.com/qN2FiyadVf

In 2012, the Duggar family backed former Sen. Rick Santorum, the Pennsylvania Republican.

“No one needs to defend Josh’s actions as a teenager, but the fact that he confessed his sins to those he harmed, sought help, and has gone forward to live a responsible and circumspect life as an adult is testament to his family’s authenticity and humility,” Huckabee said in his Friday statement.

Huckabee said the Duggars are “no more perfect a family than any family.”

Earlier this year, Huckabee grabbed headlines when he critiqued the Obamas for allowing their daughters to listen to Beyoncé. In an interview with People, Huckabee said President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama “are excellent and exemplary parents in many ways,” but added that he didn’t understand how “they don’t see anything that might not be suitable for either a preteen or a teen in some of the lyrical content and choreography of Beyoncé.”

In that same interview, Huckabee said he coveted the Duggars’ endorsement.

“I’ve pointed them out as an example of something that’s wholesome and wonderful and I’ve known them since Jim Bob was in the legislature when I was governor,” Huckabee said.

Here’s Huckabee’s entire Facebook statement about the Duggar family:

“Janet and I want to affirm our support for the Duggar family. Josh’s actions when he was an underage teen are as he described them himself, ‘inexcusable,’ but that doesn’t mean ‘unforgivable.’ He and his family dealt with it and were honest and open about it with the victims and the authorities. No purpose whatsoever is served by those who are now trying to discredit Josh or his family by sensationalizing the story. Good people make mistakes and do regrettable and even disgusting things. The reason that the law protects disclosure of many actions on the part of a minor is that the society has traditionally understood something that today’s blood-thirsty media does not understand – that being a minor means that one’s judgement is not mature. No one needs to defend Josh’s actions as a teenager, but the fact that he confessed his sins to those he harmed, sought help, and has gone forward to live a responsible and circumspect life as an adult is testament to his family’s authenticity and humility. Those who have enjoyed revealing this long ago sins in order to discredit the Duggar family have actually revealed their own insensitive bloodthirst, for there was no consideration of the fact that the victims wanted this to be left in the past and ultimately a judge had the information on file destroyed-not to protect Josh, but the innocent victims. Janet and I love Jim Bob and Michelle and their entire family. They are no more perfect a family than any family, but their Christian witness is not marred in our eyes because following Christ is not a declaration of our perfection, but of HIS perfection. It is precisely because we are all sinners that we need His grace and His forgiveness. We have been blessed to receive God’s love and we would do no less than to extend our love and support for our friends. In fact, it is such times as this, when real friends show up and stand up. Today, Janet and I want to show up and stand up for our friends. Let others run from them. We will run to them with our support.”

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