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Former Gov. Mike Huckabee, the Republican from Arkansas who is running for president, has come to the defense of the former director of the conservative Family Research Council’s lobbying group who resigned this week amid allegations that he had molested children.

Josh Duggar, a conservative activist whose family has been chronicled in the reality television show “19 Kids and Counting” stepped down from his job at FRC Action on Thursday after In Touch Weekly revealed a 2006 police report that showed him at the center of a police investigation. Mr. Duggar, who worked on Mr. Huckabee’s 2008 presidential campaign, wrote in a post on Facebook that the allegations were true and that he regretted his actions.

“Twelve years ago, as a young teenager I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret,” Mr. Duggar said.

On Friday, Mr. Huckabee expressed his support for the Duggar family, which hails from Arkansas, and said that Mr. Duggar deserved a second chance.

“Josh’s actions when he was an underage teen are as he described them himself, ‘inexcusable,’ but that doesn’t mean ‘unforgivable’,” Mr. Huckabee said in a statement that scolded anyone who took pleasure in the revelations. “Those who have enjoyed revealing this long ago sins in order to discredit the Duggar family have actually revealed their own insensitive blood thirst.”

Mr. Huckabee’s defense of Mr. Duggar could come back to haunt him as his second White House bid gathers pace. A former Baptist pastor, he has faced criticism in the past for granting clemency to prisoners as governor of Arkansas.

Mr. Duggar, who also worked on former Senator Rick Santorum’s 2012 presidential campaign, has been active in conservative politics for many years. His Twitter feed shows pictures of himself with Mr. Huckabee and as well as poses with Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and former Gov. Jeb Bush.

Great to visit w/ my friend @GovMikeHuckabee this morning in DC. Thankful to have his voice on the #2016 stage! pic.twitter.com/qN2FiyadVf — Josh Duggar (@joshduggar) May 16, 2015

The police report said that as a teenager, Mr. Duggar had fondled the genitals of several girls both forcibly and while they slept. However, charges were never pressed because of the statute of limitations had expired, according to the In Touch report.

Mr. Duggar’s father, Jim Bob, served two terms in the Arkansas House of Representatives and lost a bid for the United States Senate.

According to his biography on the Family Research Council’s website, which has been removed, Mr. Duggar “seeks to use his God-given platform to encourage others to be engaged in the political process.”

The TLC cable channel said on Friday that it was taking “19 Kids and Counting” off the air.

“We are deeply saddened and troubled by this heartbreaking situation, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family and victims at this difficult time,” TLC said in a statement.