We are less than two weeks away from a sentencing hearing for Josh Duggar, months after the former 19 Kids and Counting star was found guilty on one count of receiving and one count of possessing child pornography. Ahead of Duggar’s sentencing, appeals have been filed and memorandas have been written, the most recent of which has come from Duggar matriarch Michelle Duggar. While she’s defended her son, another Duggar is vociferously unhappy about it.
In a new memorandum filed in Western District of Arkansas Federal Court and addressed to the judge on the case, Judge Timothy L. Brooks, Michelle Duggar shares her feelings about her eldest son. In the letter, she uses a lot of positive adjectives to describe her kid, calling him “positive,” “upbeat,” “diligent,” “organized,” “loving,” and a caring father. In the longer message she shared her feelings in defense of Josh Duggar, noting:
Joshua has a tender heart and he is compassionate toward others. If someone is having a difficult time, he is one of the first to encourage or try to help them in a tangible way,' she went on, describing how he and his family help others with cleaning and repair projects. Joshua has always been a positive and upbeat person. He [supports ] his wife financially — saving money for the future and purposing not to go into debt. He is a good provider for his family, working diligently and thinking of creative ways to support and care of his wife and children.
Michelle Duggar also noted (via The Daily Mail) that it was in her “heart” to “share some things about Josh’s character,” also stating those are things she feels may have been important about her son but that may not have come up while the Duggar son was on trial for child pornography-related charges.
This is the first time Duggar’s feelings related to her son have come up since the court proceedings were wrapping up. At the time of Josh Duggar’s guilty verdict, Jim Bob and Michelle had also shared a statement calling the trial “an ordeal” and one that had been “grievous” for the reality stars.
Now, after Michelle’s new memorandum came out publicly, another Duggar has slammed the matriarch's statements. That would be none other than Amy King, a Duggar cousin who has been open about her feelings related to the family in the past. In a lengthy series of tweets the TV personality said she isn’t “afraid anymore” and wrote out to Anna Duggar about defending her husband after his arrest. She also mentioned that what Michelle Duggar wrote isn’t wrong, but it also doesn’t mean anything about who Josh is as a person, writing:
First of all Josh is funny, charismatic, kind and all the things my aunt listed in the letter. But there’s a sinister side. A side to him that makes your skin crawl. You can’t ignore what he did years ago, and what he was caught looking at! Are they delusional?
She also seemingly continued to comment on Michelle Duggar’s statements without mentioning Josh specifically, writing on Twitter:
Anyone can have good qualities building forts, help people, smile for the camera, give to the less unfortunate, and work hard. But … WHO IS HE WHEN NO ONE IS AROUND? THAT IS WHAT MATTERS!! HIS CHARACTER IS MUD.
Other Duggars have made statements following Josh’s arrest and guilty verdict, though none of those comments have been as open as Amy King's. In the wake of all of this brouhaha, the TLC spinoff starring Josh Duggar’s sisters (and occasionally his wife Anna) Counting On was also canceled. Meanwhile, Jim Bob and the rest of the clan have seemingly lost a lot of money thanks to Josh’s actions and arrest. After delays, Duggar's sentencing is expected to happen on May 25th.
