Amid all the bad press, negative messages, being called a bigot by Montel Williams, and "19 Kids and Counting" being pulled off the air - but not officially cancelled - Josh Duggar has finally found some outside support.
Mike Huckabee took to Facebook on Friday to stand up for his friend and show his support for the Duggar family as a whole. Last week, InTouch Weekly reported that the 27-year-old reality star was accused of child molestation as a minor.
"Janet and I want to affirm our support for the Duggar family," the 59-year-old Republican wrote. "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," he added. "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 judgment [sic] 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."
In the report, Josh was investigated in 2006 for inappropriately touching five underage girls as a minor. He has since issued an apology, calling his actions inexcusable and saying he "would do anything to go back to those teen years and take different actions."
The reality star said he confessed to his parents about his actions, spoke to authors and has received counseling. Josh has also resigned from his position at the Family Research Council amid the child molestation becoming public.
Huckabee and the Duggar family have been close companions for some time and the 2016 Republican presidential candidate has praised the reality star family for their Christian values. Huckabee has been photographed with Josh Duggar along with Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, and the family has endorsed and campaigned for Huckabee during his 2008 presidential campaign.
Huckabee continued, "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."
The TLC Network has since yanked the show off the air in the wake of Josh's scandal.
