Josh Duggar quits Family Research Council amid child molestation claims

Josh Duggar, eldest son in the reality-TV-famous family from TLC’s “19 Kids And Counting,” has resigned his role as executive director of the Family Research Council’s lobbying arm amid multiple allegations of child molestation.

According to a police report obtained by In Touch magazine, Duggar, now 27, sexually molested a number of underage girls, including his sisters, when he was a teenager.

“Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret,” Duggar said in a statement. “I hurt others, including my family and close friends.”

{mosads}His statement continued: “I confessed this to my parents who took several steps to help me address the situation. We spoke with the authorities where I confessed my wrongdoing, and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling. I understood that if I continued down this wrong road that I would end up ruining my life.”

The police report states that Duggar’s parents, Jim Bob and Michelle, were made aware of their son’s “forcible fondling” in 2002 but waited at least a year to take action — sending him to a “Christian ministry” for some “hard physical work and counseling.”

A formal report was filed by police in 2006, after authorities were tipped off by a letter from one of the Duggar children, but the statute of limitations had already lapsed.

More recently, Josh Duggar served as executive director of FRC Action, lobbying members of Congress on behalf of the Family Research Council — a conservative Christian organization that promotes “traditional family values.”

He and his wife Anna are expecting their fourth child.