GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee says he never defended Josh Duggar against
child molestation charges, though he did stand up for the Christian values of Duggar's family.
Earlier this year Duggar resigned his position as executive director of FRC Action after stories began to surface that he had inappropriately touched some of his sisters and a babysitter as a young teen. His name later surfaced as part of the Ashley Madison cheating site breach and he has been
accused by a porn actress of assaulting her during consensual sex.
Duggar is the oldest of 19 children of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, whose family starred in the reality TV show "19 Kids and Counting." The Arkansas residents have been longtime political supporters of Huckabee, a former governor of the state.
After the initial allegations against Josh Duggar, Huckabee wrote on his Facebook page that the actions were "inexcusable" but not "unforgivable."
When asked by Iowa radio host Simon Conway how he could defend Josh Duggar, Huckabee replied, "I really didn't support Josh. I supported his parents, if you'll go back and look at what I said. There's no support for what he did."
Considering the new developments, Huckabee told the radio station on Wednesday he has changed his thinking.
"I think in subsequent months, as more things came out, what he did was despicable, it was dishonest," Huckabee said. "He did some things that totally defy everything he supposedly stood for. But he certainly defied what his parents not only have stood for, but continue to."
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