UNITED STATES
People
BY MICHELE CORRISTON @mcorriston 05/24/2015
When allegations that 19 Kids and Counting star Josh Duggar molested five young girls resurfaced this week, fans of the TLC reality show were shocked. To the millions of viewers who’ve tuned in each week, the Duggars personified family values, from their strict rules about modesty to their dedication to religion.
The illusion was shattered Thursday, when Josh, 27, admitted he “acted inexcusably” as a teenager. But rumors of former Christian lobbyist’s past are nothing new: They first surfaced online eight years ago. As Gawker’s Defamer points out, a commenter called “Alice” recounted the allegations on a blog, ibiblio.org, in May 2007. Other sites such as FreeJinger.org have long cited Alice’s comments.
Eight years ago, Alice gave a thorough and detailed account of events that are nearly identical to those outlined in the police report that became public this week:
“In January, the whole family went to Chicago and taped Oprah Winfrey show… As you may have noticed, that show never aired and it never will,” Alice posted before delivering the bombshell that The Oprah Winfrey Show staffers had been told that Josh had molested five minor girls. Alice then wrote, “Yes, this is the truth … They have been investigated to some length…”
On the subject of Josh’s parents Jim Bob, 49 and Michelle, 48, Alice wrote “They have lied and lied about their son to protect him… In my eyes he is a CHILD MOLESTOR. HE SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE HOME.”
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