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Revision as of 13:04, 20 August 2015 editCallinus (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users14,211 edits →Personal life: used -> marketed - the site has it's fair share of sweaty men "chatting" with bots and fake profiles← Previous edit Revision as of 14:55, 20 August 2015 edit undoCollect (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers47,160 edits →Personal life: not remotely acceptable per WP:BLP - this is here for sensationalism, and is not a significant item for an encyclopedia biographyNext edit →
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==Personal life== ==Personal life==
Duggar married Anna Keller on September 26, 2008.<ref>, jacksonville.com; accessed May 22, 2015.</ref><ref name="auto"/> He and his wife have four children: Mackynzie Renée (b. 2009), Michael James (b. 2011), Marcus Anthony (b. 2013), and Meredith Grace (b. 2015). They lived in ], where they owned a used car dealership, from 2008 until 2013. In 2013, they moved to ] where Duggar accepted a job as executive director of FRC Action, a lobbying arm of the Family Research Council. They moved back to Arkansas after Josh resigned in May 2015. As with Duggar's parents, who avoid birth control, Josh and Anna have stated that they plan to have as many children as "God gives them".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hollywoodlife.com/2011/03/15/josh-anna-duggar-baby-kids-tlc/|title=Josh & Anna Duggar: 'We're Going To Have 25 Kids!' Um, Seriously?|publisher=Hollywood Life}}</ref> Duggar married Anna Keller on September 26, 2008.<ref>, jacksonville.com; accessed May 22, 2015.</ref><ref name="auto"/> He and his wife have four children: Mackynzie Renée (b. 2009), Michael James (b. 2011), Marcus Anthony (b. 2013), and Meredith Grace (b. 2015). They lived in ], where they owned a used car dealership, from 2008 until 2013. In 2013, they moved to ] where Duggar accepted a job as executive director of FRC Action, a lobbying arm of the Family Research Council. They moved back to Arkansas after Josh resigned in May 2015. As with Duggar's parents, who avoid birth control, Josh and Anna have stated that they plan to have as many children as "God gives them".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hollywoodlife.com/2011/03/15/josh-anna-duggar-baby-kids-tlc/|title=Josh & Anna Duggar: 'We're Going To Have 25 Kids!' Um, Seriously?|publisher=Hollywood Life}}</ref>

In August 2015, after user information from the ] was released online, Duggar was reported to have two paid accounts on the dating site, which is marketed as helping people have extramarital affairs.<ref name=ashleymadison1>{{cite news|last1=Feinberg|first1=Ashley|title=Family Values Activist Josh Duggar Had a Paid Ashley Madison Account|url=http://gawker.com/family-values-activist-josh-duggar-had-a-paid-ashley-ma-1725132091?utm_campaign=socialflow_gawker_facebook&utm_source=gawker_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow|accessdate=August 19, 2015|publisher=Gawker|date=August 19, 2015}}</ref><ref name=ashleymadisonagain>{{cite news|last1=McKay|first1=Tom|title=Ashley Madison Hack Reveals Josh Duggar Owned a Paid Account|url=http://mic.com/articles/124143/ashley-madison-hack-reveals-josh-duggar-owned-a-paid-account|accessdate=August 19, 2015|publisher=Mic|date=August 19, 2015}}</ref><ref name=ashleymadison2>{{cite news|last1=Meyer|first1=Ken|title=Ashley Madison Hack Reportedly Turns Up First Celebrity: Josh Duggar|url=http://www.mediaite.com/online/ashley-madison-hack-reportedly-turns-up-first-celebrity-josh-duggar/|accessdate=August 19, 2015|publisher=Mediaite|date=August 19, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Hartmann|first1=Margaret|title=The First Celebrity Exposed by the Ashley Madison Hack Is Josh Duggar|url=http://nymag.com/thecut/2015/08/ashley-madison-josh-duggar.html|publisher=New York Magazine|accessdate=20 August 2015}}</ref> He was reported to have paid close to $1,000 in charges for the accounts from February 2013 to May 2015.<ref name=ashleymadison3>{{cite news|last1=Spargo|first1=Chris|title=REVEALED: Josh Duggar 'paid almost $1,000 for multiple Ashley Madison accounts in search of oral sex, one-night stands, sex toy experimentation and more'|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3204050/REPORT-Josh-Duggar-paid-1-000-multiple-Ashley-Madison-accounts-search-oral-sex-one-night-stands-sex-toy-experimentation-more.html?ito=social-facebook|accessdate=August 19, 2015|publisher=Daily Mail|date=August 19, 2015}}</ref>


==References== ==References==

Revision as of 14:55, 20 August 2015

Josh Duggar
BornJoshua James Duggar
(1988-03-03) March 3, 1988 (age 36)
Tontitown, Arkansas, U.S.
Occupation(s)Car salesman, television personality, political activist
Years active2004–present
Known for19 Kids and Counting
Political partyRepublican
Spouse Anna Keller ​(m. 2008)​
Children4
Parent(s)Jim Bob Duggar
Michelle (Ruark) Duggar
Relatives18 siblings
Websitehttp://ja20.com

Joshua James Duggar (born March 3, 1988) is an American television personality, known for his appearances on Discovery Health Channel and TLC as part of the reality television show 19 Kids and Counting, which focuses on the life of the Duggar family. Duggar was formerly executive director of FRC Action, the non-profit political action and lobbying arm of the Family Research Council. Josh is the eldest of Michelle (Ruark) and Jim Bob Duggar's 19 children.

On May 21, 2015, Duggar resigned his position at the Family Research Council, after it had become public that during the time he was 14 and 15 years old, he molested five girls, including four of his sisters. The abuse consisted of fondling their breast and genital regions while they were asleep and sometimes while awake without permission, according to a police report obtained by In Touch Weekly magazine. TLC suspended airing the reality series 19 Kids and Counting on May 22, 2015 and cancelled the series on July 16, 2015.

Early life

Duggar was raised a conservative Christian in Tontitown, Arkansas, and is the eldest of 19 siblings. He was homeschooled, passing the state's test for a general equivalency diploma (GED) at the age of 16.

Career

Reality television personality

Duggar appeared on the reality series 19 Kids and Counting which aired on TLC. He also appeared on earlier shows about his family shown on Discovery Health, starting in 2005, when Duggar was 17 years old. An episode titled A Very Duggar Wedding aired on January 25, 2009 about Duggar's wedding. It included the wedding planning, preparation, rehearsal, as well the wedding ceremony and reception. Duggar and his wife Anna said they saved their first kiss for their wedding day. Multiple episodes document Duggar's children including: GrandDuggar's First Birthday (aired December 7, 2010) where Duggar celebrates his daughter Mackynzie's first birthday as well as announcing they're expecting their second child; First Grandson (aired June 19, 2011) in which Duggar and his wife introduce their second child, Michael James to the world; and GrandDuggar Makes 3! (aired June 16, 2013) a Father's Day special introducing Duggar's third baby Marcus Anthony. A special titled Josh & Anna: Our Story aired on October 22, 2013, which reviewed the couples' first five years of marriage. Duggar and his wife revealed they are expecting their fourth child and that the baby is a girl on an episode titled Anna's Having A..., which aired May 12, 2015.

Political activity

Duggar's father, Jim Bob, was a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for two terms while Josh was a teenager. Duggar has also been active in conservative politics. In 2007, while running a car dealership he worked as a part-time political consultant under the business name Strategic Political Services. In 2008, he worked on the Republican presidential primary campaign of Mike Huckabee, and in 2012 he toured with the presidential campaign of Republican Rick Santorum where Josh spoke at rallies in support of Santorum.

From June 2013 to May 2015, Duggar was the Executive Director of FRC Action, the non-profit political action and lobbying arm of the Family Research Council. He said at the time that his role would be "engaging the grassroots and taking the message of faith, family and freedom all across America". Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council, said that by hiring Duggar they hoped to appeal to more young people and tap into the popularity of his TV series and said "The big part of Josh’s focus is going to be building our grass-roots across the country". In his role with FRC Action he has associated with many high profile Republicans, including potential 2016 presidential candidates including Scott Walker, Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum, Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush, Bobby Jindal, and Rick Perry.

Duggar advocates for "family-centered" conservative Christian Right viewpoints, including opposition to abortion, divorce, and gay marriage. He has described his extended family as the "epitome of conservative values". The Family Research Council, which he worked for, has been labeled as an anti-gay hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center; SPLC says they were designated as such due to their publication of "anti-gay propaganda". Duggar was described as an "anti-gay activist" by GLAAD.

Molestation controversy

On May 21, 2015, the magazine In Touch Weekly reported that Josh's father, Jim Bob Duggar had told the Arkansas State Police that in 2002–03, Josh had molested five underage girls. Josh was 14 and 15 years old at the time. The initial source of this news was a redacted police report obtained by In Touch Weekly via a Freedom of Information Act request. On May 21, 2015, Judge Stacey Zimmerman ordered the original police report destroyed and the public record be expunged.

The police report indicates that four of the five victims are Duggar's siblings. Jim Bob reported that he learned in March 2002 that Josh had touched the breasts and genital region of his sisters on multiple occasions while they were sleeping. The Duggars say they were made aware of this when Josh confessed, and that at this time, the girls were unaware the abuse had occurred. Jim Bob said that Josh was disciplined at home. In March 2003, Jim Bob and Michelle learned of additional incidents and victims with Josh confessing he had touched their breast and genital region, while they slept and in a few cases while awake, and that this abuse included a much younger sister, who according to the Duggars, didn't understand she had been improperly touched. " At this time, Jim Bob said he shared his concerns with church elders.

Jim Bob told police that he had enrolled Josh in a program consisting of physical labor and counseling, after consulting with his church's leadership. Michelle said that Josh had been sent away from home for a period of three months to work for a family friend who was remodeling a building. Later reports suggest that Josh may have been sent to a facility in Little Rock, Arkansas, owned by the Institute in Basic Life Principles, a ministry and adolescent training program founded by Bill Gothard, who was a Duggar family friend. Bill Gothard was later ousted from the Institute in 2014, amid allegations that Gothard had sexually harassed a number of women and on several occasions failed to report knowledge of child sexual abuse. It is unclear if the Institute in Basic Life Principles treatment center in Little Rock was actually open and accepting participants at the time, or if the building was simply being renovated during this time period.

Upon Josh's return home in July 2003, Jim Bob brought Josh to Arkansas State Trooper Jim Hutchens, an acquaintance. This was reportedly the first time that police or other public authorities were made aware of this abuse. According to Jim Bob's account, Josh admitted to these actions at that time and apologized. Speaking via a lawyer, Hutchens disputes part of the reported account, saying that he was only told of a single act of incestuous molestation, and that he would have responded differently if he had known of additional instances and victims. In an interview following Hutchens statement, Jim Bob said Hutchens was told the entire story. Hutchens did not take any official action but reportedly gave Josh a "stern talk". Under Arkansas law, Hutchens was a mandated reporter who would have been expected to call the Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline. Hutchens was later arrested and convicted on unrelated charges of child pornography and is serving a 56-year prison sentence.

In 2005 and 2006, the first four TV specials featuring the Duggar family would be released. In December 2006, the family was scheduled to appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show. At this time, an anonymous source emailed Harpo Studios and called the Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline to reveal Josh's past sexual misconduct. The producers of the The Oprah Winfrey Show alerted the Department of Human Services and canceled the Duggar's scheduled appearance on the show. As a result of these reports, the Springdale Police Department investigated. Police spoke to Jim Bob, Michelle and several other family members. The family described the sexual misconduct that occurred in 2002 and 2003. The family reported that no further incidents had occurred since he had returned to the home in late 2003. The family members interviewed by police said that they felt safe in their home and had forgiven Duggar for his past behavior. Under Arkansas law, child sexual abuse charges for the offenses must be filed within three years of being reported to a police officer. Due to the family's earlier contact with State Trooper Jim Hutchens, the three-year statute of limitations had run out by the time of the 2006 investigation and no charges were filed.

The police report of this 2006 investigation was the one eventually obtained by In Touch Weekly in 2015. After the initial reporting on the redacted police report, an unidentified victim, reportedly still a minor, requested that any remaining products of the investigation be destroyed. Judge Stacey Zimmerman granted this request to protect that person's privacy.

Though Duggar's misconduct was largely unknown to the public prior to 2015, a blogger writing in 2007 and identified only as "Alice" referred to the canceled Oprah Winfrey Show and stated that show staffers had been told that he was a "child molester". This allegation quietly circulated on blogs and other sites discussing the Duggars for many years, but was not publicly corroborated until In Touch Weekly revealed the police report.

Duggar resigned his position at The Family Research Council on May 21, 2015, after his history of sexual misconduct as a minor became public. He stated that he "acted inexcusably" as a teen and said he was "deeply sorry" for what he called his wrongdoings. In response to his resignation, FRC president Tony Perkins stated "Josh believes that the situation will make it difficult for him to be effective in his current work. We believe this is the best decision for Josh and his family at this time. We will be praying for everyone involved."

Another police report obtained by In Touch Magazine, reported in an article published on June 3, details that 15-year-old Duggar confessed on three separate occasions to Jim Bob about the molestation, which involved a much younger sister and seven acts of sexual molestation. The article also notes that the Duggars waited at least 16 months before reporting the molestations to the authorities.

Debate over release of police reports

According to Trace Gallagher of Fox News, Freedom of Information (FOI) law in Arkansas states that the records of a juvenile "shall remain confidential" and "shall not be subject to disclosure under the FOI." Arkansas State Senator Bart Hester said “the law to protect minors' identities is not a suggestion” and called for Springdale Police Chief Kathy O’Kelley, who released the records, to be fired, saying O’Kelley re-victimized the girls; however, the Springdale city attorney defended the release of the records, because while Duggar was a minor at the time of the alleged incidents, he was 18 in December 2006, when the police report was filed. Judge Stacey Zimmerman ordered all copies of the report destroyed on May 21, 2015.

Two of Duggar's sisters, Jessa Duggar and Jill Duggar, spoke out about the abuse and about the release of the reports during an interview with Megyn Kelly airing June 5, 2015 on Fox News Channel's The Kelly File. Jessa called Duggar's actions as a teen "very wrong". She also said, "I do want to speak up in his defense against people who are calling him a child molester or a pedophile or a rapist, as some people are saying”. Jessa said "that is so overboard and a lie really...I mean, people get mad at me for saying that, but I can say this because I was one of the victims”. She said "the system was set up to protect kids...it's greatly failed," and that the last few weeks have been "a thousand times worse for us” than the sexual abuse. Jill called the release of the police reports “a revictimization”.

Personal life

Duggar married Anna Keller on September 26, 2008. He and his wife have four children: Mackynzie Renée (b. 2009), Michael James (b. 2011), Marcus Anthony (b. 2013), and Meredith Grace (b. 2015). They lived in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where they owned a used car dealership, from 2008 until 2013. In 2013, they moved to Washington D.C. where Duggar accepted a job as executive director of FRC Action, a lobbying arm of the Family Research Council. They moved back to Arkansas after Josh resigned in May 2015. As with Duggar's parents, who avoid birth control, Josh and Anna have stated that they plan to have as many children as "God gives them".

References

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External links

19 Kids and Counting
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