Following Josh Duggar’s conviction on child pornography charges and sentencing to 12 years in prison, Jill and Derick Dillard have spoken out about their estranged relationship with the Duggar family — and how it stems from patriarch Jim Bob Duggar.
In a scathing Facebook post during Jim Bob’s run for Arkansas State Senate, Derick accused Jim Bob of manipulating the family “for his own gain” and “at the expense of others.” Derick wrote (via People): “When he says he cannot be bought, the truth is that he has a history of being a sellout to anything that he can personally profit from … If he has lied and continues to lie to his best friends and his own family, will he lie to you?”
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Jill and Derick were estranged from the Duggar family for years at that point — and it seems that Josh Duggar’s conviction and Jim Bob’s political run were the final straw. Months before Derick’s comments, Jill had revealed to fans that she “distanced” herself from the Duggar family and hinted they were not on good terms. “We’ve had some disagreements, but we’re working towards healing, definitely, and restoration,” she explained in a YouTube video. Though now, it seems that following her husband’s comments, reconciliation does not look to be in either family’s future.
