Rick Santorum “Sickened” By Duggar Child Molestation Claims

Rick Santorum told ABC’s Good Morning America that he was “sickened” by reports that Josh Duggar, reality TV star on 19 Kids And Counting, molested underage girls, including some of his sisters, while he was a teenager.

Rick Santorum has been in the spotlight after he announced this week that he would run for the 2016 Republican nomination for president.

Three years ago, the Duggar family campaigned across ten states for Rick Santorum during his 2012 campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.

During their campaigning for Rick Santorum, the Duggars said that they endorsed him as a candidate because he “stands up for what is right” and is “somebody that goes and really just votes from his heart”.

When Rick Santorum was asked about his thoughts on Josh Duggar’s alleged actions in 2002 and 2003, he shook his head and delivered a condemning response.

“I’m sickened by it. I’m just sickened by it. I pray for those girls, in particular. To have gone through that is… just hard to think about.”

In Touch Weekly first released the police report that contained all of the allegations Josh Duggar, 27, faced.

Josh Duggar did not directly respond to the allegations, but he did release a statement apologizing for past mistakes.

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

He was never charged for the incidents because the statute of limitations had passed by the time authorities were made aware of the incident.

The release of the report has caused a chain of events beyond comments like those of Rick Santorum, including TLC cancelling the hit show 19 Kids and Counting, and Josh Duggar resigning from his position with the Family Research Council.

Rick Santorum’s comments contrasted with former Arkansas Gov. and fellow presidential nominee Mike Huckabee, whom the Duggars have also been known to endorse.

Huckabee released a Facebook post after the allegations were first made public, saying the incident was “inexcusable,” but not “unforgivable”.

Huckabee also heavily criticized the media for their coverage of the scandal, calling them “blood thirsty” and saying that the stories were sensationalized.

The Duggars supported Rick Santorum because he was a defender of traditional marriage, wrote a bill to end partial birth abortions, had a great rating from the NRA, led welfare reform, and believes in securing the United States borders.

They even released a video that had 19 reasons to vote for Rick Santorum, including some of those listed above and got the kids in on endorsing him as a candidate.

[Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images]