Josh Duggar has had to shelve his ambitions of a political career following multiple scandals, including his recent child pornography charges, it has emerged.
The 33-year-old former TLC personality was arrested in April on charges of downloading and possessing child pornography, which he has pleaded not guilty to. However, the ordeal has tainted his name and has forced him to put an end to his passion for politics, a family friend speaking under anonymity told Fox News.
"Politics is his love. It's been his love and his passion forever. The car business was not," the source said, referencing Duggar's job of selling used cars in lots he owned.
"With the cars, it was fine. But politics was his passion," the family friend continued. "His dad was in the House of Representatives in Arkansas. Josh loved working on campaigns and being on that side of everything."
The insider described Duggar's views as "very conservative." The "19 Kids and Counting" star served as an executive director of Family Research Council Action, which is the lobbying arm of the conservative Christian organization Family Research Council, in 2013. However, he resigned in 2015, after it emerged that he had molested four of his sisters and a babysitter, several years prior. He was never charged but admitted he had acted "inexcusably." Shortly after, it was reported that Duggar owned an account on a website created to facilitate extramarital affairs.
These incidents brought his political career "to a halt" before it had even begun.
"Even here in local politics he was involved," the source said. "I know he loved it. Again, that's probably not a part of his life right now but still something he's passionate about I'm sure."
At the start of this month, it was revealed that Duggar's trial, which was scheduled to commence in July, was postponed until November. The pre-trial conference is scheduled to now take place on Nov. 18, and the trial on Nov. 30, Yahoo! Entertainment reported. The decision was made to give Josh's legal team "reasonable time necessary for effective preparation."
Duggar, who is facing up to 40 years in prison, was released on bail in May and ordered to stay with family friends provided he adhere to several conditions, which include a ban from using the internet. He may also only have visits from his kids provided his wife, who is pregnant with their seventh child, is present.
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Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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