A conservative Iowa radio host accused 2016 GOP presidential candidate and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) on Thursday of refusing to appear on his talk show for fear of being asked about the scandal that has rocked a reality TV family from Arkansas.
Host Simon Conway on radio station WHO in Des Moines, Iowa was discussing the sex abuse scandal that that has hit the Duggar family of TLC’s show “19 Kids and Counting.” The scandal came to light last month when a tabloid magazine published a police report showing the family’s eldest son, Josh Duggar, was investigated for allegedly molesting five girls when he was a teenager. Four of the girls were members of the Duggar family.
The patriarch of the family, Jim Bob Dugger, a former state lawmaker in Arkansas, had endorsed Huckabee’s 2016 campaign, as had his wife, Michelle Duggar. Huckabee initially voiced support for the Duggar family after the scandal broke, but the listing of those endorsements soon disappeared from his campaign website.
“This is not something I want to see swept under the carpet,” Conway told listeners. “And maybe that’s why Gov. Huckabee, who came out and supported them, does not wish to come on my show right now. Maybe that’s why, I don’t know. Maybe it’s just coincidence.”
“Whatever it is, we will ultimately get to talk to him again and we will talk about this,” Conway continued.
Conway criticized the interview Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar gave last week to Fox News host Megyn Kelly.
“They had extensive notes and dad had an open cellphone on his lap for, I guess live-coaching from somebody. Well that in itself is weird, isn’t it?” Conway said. “If you’re talking about your kid … what on Earth, why do you need notes on your lap when you’re explaining this and why do you need a live cellphone to get live coaching? This is really disturbing.”
“There’s something wrong here,” Conway said. “And it’s not good enough to turn around and say, ‘They’re being picked on because they’re conservative and they’re Christian.’ There’s something wrong and it’s disturbing.”
Conway also criticized the release of the police report that detailed the investigation into Josh Duggar.
“The fact that it was leaked is appalling, but the bottom line is it’s out there and there’s nothing we can do about it,” Conway said. “K? It’s out there.”
Conway was also aghast by the fact that two of the Duggar daughters spoke to Fox News about allegedly being molested by their brother.
“That is even more horrific to me,” Conway said. “I’m struggling with that as well. They were abused. Whatever way you want to talk about it, they were abused.”
Listen to the audio below, from Media Matters:
