Josh & Anna Smuggar: A Series of Unfortunate Events

[Sunnybobs]

This is a question based on old episodes showing in the UK but I just saw one where Anna went to a mommy and me playgroup and when she gets there Michael starts yelling & is really upset because "oh he thinks it's nursery and hes going to be left". Would this be a church nursery he has experience of or has Anna left them in other nursery setting - either way I was quite surprised & it did seem to show that their kids have much wider experience already.

Also an episode where they are having new "friends" over & the wife who is coming is in the national guard & working nights - is this TLC introducing the idea of them meeting new people or josh & Anna striking out on their own a tiny bit.

[3girlsforus]

Thanks for the thoughts on Jim Bob's cheapness/frugality. I have no problems  with being frugal and careful with money. This is especially understandable for most Gothard families whose goal is to have lots of kids but have questionable education and employment. These families don't have TLC money to help establish a nest egg. But Jim Bob seems to take frugal to an offensive level. They do have money but he continues to make decisions to be extra cheap without regard to his family.  Just something simple like all that pizza they had to make. He doesn't see any point in buying pizza because it has no impact on him. He doesn't have to cook so why pay to make someone else's life easier. And the weddings - with their money they didn't need to take advantage of a zillion hours of volunteer help and could have put SOMETHING, ANYTHING to eat out for people besides sugar. Even with their money he seems to still want and expect hand outs and freebies.

[xtwheeler]

JB pinches pennies so hard he's risking Abe Lincoln pooping.

[3 is enough]

While I don't think J & A want to leave DC, is it possible that Josh had a contract with the FRC, and he has been informed that it will not be renewed? IIRC he started in June of 2013.  Don't think he could get a job elsewhere in DC, and Jessa and Ben are living in his old place, so that might explain the new AR house.

Edited March 25, 2015 by 3 is enough

[Albanyguy]

I don't think he's worn out his welcome with the FRC just yet; they'll probably keep him around for a few more years. As long as the show keeps garnering respectable ratings and the leg-humpers keep turning out to hear him speak at political events, they'll keep him out on the road making appearances. Once the show is cancelled and the crowds start to thin out, they'll drop him like a hot potato.

[GEML]

Also, I'd be surprised if Josh had a formal contract that was date to date specific like that.

And again, Josh has a job because he can go to subcultures in ways other people who don't know those subcultures can't. Yes, the show had a value, but it's now separate from the show.

Edited March 25, 2015 by GEML

[Missy Vixen]

And the weddings - with their money they didn't need to take advantage of a zillion hours of volunteer help and could have put SOMETHING, ANYTHING to eat out for people besides sugar. Even with their money he seems to still want and expect hand outs and freebies.

If Sam's Club has the same type of party food trays that Costco does, it would have been a case of picking up sufficient food trays (the ones from Costco feed 20+ people each) to offer a snack of deli meat sandwiches and rolls/fresh fruit/ etcetera for a fraction of the cost of a catered meal. Of course, it would cost more than $1.00 per person and cut into the profits he and J-Chelle pocketed from TLC's footing the bill for both weddings. BTW, with my back of the envelope math, deli meat sandwiches and rolls would have been less than $2K for Jilly Muffin's 1700 guests. If they bought cake from Sam's Club or Costco (I know it's possible to get 40+ pieces out of their half sheet cake) sufficient cake would have been under $900. In other words, they can serve their freaking powdered lemonade and generic root beer to the guests and give everyone a nice non-diabetes inducing snack for $3-4 per person that would not mean others are working for days to put on a spread.

 

I am wondering why Jim Boob and J-Chelle are more deserving of the handouts and freebies than people who make a fraction of what they do per year and most likely took money that was needed elsewhere in the family budget to buy Jill one of her 40+ towel sets or Jessa's toys and candy.

[JoanArc]

Chick-fil-a does catering, and would've done it for free product placement.

[msblossom]

I don't think all their guests brought gifts. If they did, it was probably like a set of wooden spoons and a couple tea towels costing under $10 and their family of 8 show up to the wedding. But like I said, probably a lot just showed up with a card.

[GEML]

And the people showing up with a busload of people (and their tiny gift) likely DID get a sandwich and something like potato salad back at the house after the wedding reception. Because those are guests that would matter, actually. Probably a good 500-750 were church and local people just there because they couldn't be left off, and say 100 for Derick, maybe 200 for Ben, as the latter would have had more, but also some overlap. Then say 250 were people they knew who were genuinely decent people that would have brought a nice gift and were made to stand in a parking lot but went because they thought a lot personally of Jill or Jessa and went home shaking their heads. Lots of the guests were children who didn't care as long as they saw a bride and had sweets.

Point is, too many of those gifts were bought by fans who were NEVER going to be invited to the wedding.

[Barb23]

Jim Bob and Michelle have plenty of money, but buying, maintains and paying taxes on a house in DC would but a dent big enough to make them wince - this is a man who doesn't want to pay for pizza. And he didn't want Josh to go, remember? But buy and fix up a nice home in AR? Maybe to make amends for giving them such a crummy, mold filled house the first time around? Maybe they'll come home now.

Very good point about Boob enticing them to come home since he was never happy with them moving in the first place. I guess we'll wait & see.

[Darknight]

JB would rather take from the poor than give to them

[Missy Vixen]

And the people showing up with a busload of people (and their tiny gift) likely DID get a sandwich and something like potato salad back at the house after the wedding reception. Because those are guests that would matter, actually. Probably a good 500-750 were church and local people just there because they couldn't be left off, and say 100 for Derick, maybe 200 for Ben, as the latter would have had more, but also some overlap.

I would beg to differ on how many of those guests (especially at Jill's 1700 guest wedding) "mattered". Neither couple stayed at the church reception (IIRC) long enough to greet their guests in the first place. I wonder how many of those who ended up at the TTH afterwards actually got a personal greeting from the bride and groom. It's not possible to have meaningful contact with that many people at a gathering.

 

I hope the gift grab and family profits were worth it.

[GEML]

Bride and groom don't stay. They've visited with a lot of the real guests previously to the wedding. They get to rush off to the honeymoon - all Fundy families get that!

And everyone also knows you'll see them in a few months at someone else's wedding and will catch up with them at that time. It's cake, punch, then, well, wham, bam, thank you ma'am. ;)

[Fuzzysox]

No, Jim Bob didn't and doesn't own the Maryland (DC) house.

 

The first house Josh and Anna lived in is owned by Grandma Mary.

I'm pretty sure I saw the records that the first house that Josh and Anna moved into when they went to DC was owned by Boob. Didn't we discuss that after Josh and Anna moved out it was rented and the tenants didn't stay long since they claimed the roof leaked. 

[GEML]

I'm pretty sure that was one of those internet rumors. I'm pretty positive JB does not own the MD house.

[Absolom]

No, that was a mistake where someone saw the used car business address changed.  

 

The claim of the roof leaking was made about Grandma Mary's house in Arkansas. 

[Fuzzysox]

I'm pretty sure that was one of those internet rumors. I'm pretty positive JB does not own the MD house.

Does anyone know the address so I can search who owns it?

[Wellfleet]

I'm pretty sure that was one of those internet rumors. I'm pretty positive JB does not own the MD house.

 

Right, I don't remember anything about Boob owning the house in Maryland either. The whole thing - Josh & family leaving AR for MD - happened fairly quickly, didn't tit? IIRC, a matter of just a few weeks. Unless Boob already had the house [which seems VERY unlikely], that would have been a relatively fast-turnaround to buy a house. 

[truthtalk2014]

Chick-fil-a does catering, and would've done it for free product placement.

Even they might not want to be associated with the Duggars.

Does anyone know the address so I can search who owns it?

I thought they were renting.  

[truthtalk2014]

 

 

Edit: Oops, off-topic. To bring it back on topic, Anna's offensive black history month tweets SHOULD have gotten more attention than they did, IMO. They were ridiculous.

Do tell!

Edited March 27, 2015 by truthtalk2014

[Fuzzysox]

Even they might not want to be associated with the Duggars.

I thought they were renting.  

Color me confused then! I thought Boob had purchase a foreclosed house then they moved in. After looking at a ton of houses for an epi they already knew that they had a place to live because Boob purchased the property so they could live there? IDK I must be seriously wrong then.....

[truthtalk2014]

Color me confused then! I thought Boob had purchase a foreclosed house then they moved in. After looking at a ton of houses for an epi they already knew that they had a place to live because Boob purchased the property so they could live there? IDK I must be seriously wrong then.....

No Fuzzysox- I'm probably wrong.  I forgot how staged all this BS is.  I just remember them looking at a few houses and having to move so quickly.  Closing on a house is NOT that quick.  

If Boob already owned it, bad on me! Got me again TLC with the staged Duggar BS! 

[GEML]

It seemed like a reasonable thing at the time. But given DC prices, even JB likely would have had some trouble coming up with that much cash that quickly, and most foreclosers in MD take a long time to close because of regulatory laws, which is why I was skeptical when the story first came out. So the only alternatives were a loan (and Duggars NEVER take our loans, right????) or renting. Renting just seemed to be the most obvious and rational choice.

[Fuzzysox]

I found the source. I'm still confused but one thing is for sure Boob has CASH. Remember he brought a $400,000 plane for JD.

 

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?id=269181913180625&story_fbid=489162894515858

[Absolom]

I'm not comfortable posting the house address and it might not even be allowable here.  I've checked that property repeatedly and Jim Bob has never owned Josh's MD house nor has any Duggar.  There have been a couple of rumors posted as fact and a couple other posters and I have tried to debunk them when we see them.  

 

ETA:  As I've said before that whole Jim Bob bought the house story is based on Josh changing the address of Champion Motors to his new address.  It had zero to do with him or Jim Bob buying the house.  It was misinterpretation of the circumstances.

Edited March 27, 2015 by Absolom

[GEML]

I'm sure Jim Bob could come up with the money. But could he come up with it within that time frame given Maryland regulations? Not sure. Say what you want about Jim Bob, he's financially not stupid, and I'm betting he let's his money work for him and doesn't keep $400,000 liquid sit in a bank essentially losing value when he could be investing it in something else.

[Fuzzysox]

Who knows when Josh was offered his job they are so behind showing stuff on their show? It could have afforded Boob time to shop on line and buy??

[Absolom]

It might have afforded him time, but still didn't buy the house Anna and Josh live in.  The property records would have shown it if he had.

 

Just since it's such an issue, I checked the county property records again and the same non-Duggars own the house as did when Josh and Anna moved in.  

Edited March 27, 2015 by Absolom

[Barb23]

Why would Boob want to buy the Smuggars a house in the DC area, when he wasn't keen on them moving & is always hoping they move back to Arkansas? Granted he could have rented to others if Josh moved back but it's hard to be an out of state slumlord.

Not that it means much but like I posted before, Josh commented on the moving in episode that their landlord sent them a welcome plant. The landlord could have been Boob but I remember it being an expensive flowering plant (can't remember name). I see Boob as more of the fake pink & yellow plastic flowers from the Goodwill store type of landlord, if he would send any at all. Lol.

[frenchtoast]

Since it has kind of, sort of come up, here's the guidline regarding posting addresses and such. In short, please don't.

[GEML]

And again, buying a foreclosed home in MD takes about two years. The regulations there are some of the most stringent in the country. Even with cash, Jim Bob wouldn't have been able to swoop in from out of state an snatch up a house in that kind of condition within even a REASONABLE turn around. He would have needed to pay market price. Anyone think Jim Bob was going to pay market price? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

[JoanArc]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVoaLbjswUc

 

Josh initially said no to the FRC, then said yes a month later.

[JoanArc]

http://www.intouchweekly.com/posts/josh-and-anna-duggar-owed-thousands-in-back-taxes-55172

 

 

In Touch Weekly’ has learned that 19 Kids and Counting star Josh Duggar and his wife, Anna, were hit with a tax lien in January because they failed to pay $3,746.20 in taxes to the state of Arkansas.

 

On what, exactly?

 

Also, that propaganda flyer behind them is interesting. Look, Josh has a family and everything!

[galax-arena]

So after Josh was tweeting up a storm about Arkansas' RFRA, how pissed do you think he is that Gov. Asa Hutchinson (sort of) backed down? I hope he's crying into his tater tot casserole. 

Edited April 2, 2015 by galax-arena

[GEML]

Perhaps he should take it up with his brother in law and his employer.

[galax-arena]

That took me way too long to get, GEML. I kept thinking, Anna's brother? What? 

[GEML]

Sorry. The general assumption is that once Wal-Mart came out against the bill, no governor in AR was going to sign it. :)

[DangerousMinds]

They owe the state of Arkansas, but they don't even live there?

[Skittl1321]

They owe the state of Arkansas, but they don't even live there?

If they film there it is possible they owe for income made in the state.

Many states have laws that require you to pay taxes if you work there, some for a day, some for 30 days etc.  Some have reciprocity so you get a credit on your own state taxes, others don't and you end up double paying.

 

I don't know what Arkansas's income tax laws say though.

 

Edit: http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2013/12/12/road-warrior-state-income-tax-laws-vary-widely

This says that Arkansas requires non-residents to pay income tax first day of work.

Edited April 2, 2015 by Skittl1321

[3girlsforus]

The tax man can take a while to spring into action. This could be a tax issue from back when they lived in Arkansas that is just now coming to action. Plus we don't know how long they were getting notices before a lien was put in place. It's also possible the "tax lien' the article refers to was a notice/bill. After all we know how accurate these tabloid types are. I have a hard time believing they actively ignored such a relatively small bill (3,700). It's a big bill to me but considering he has an income and TLC money I would think they would be able to pay it and I suspect Josh learned from his dad not to screw with the IRS. 

[GEML]

It also doesn't mean the number is correct. The Duggars have complicated taxes, which mean many of the codes are open to interpretation. They interpreted one way, some in the IRS or AR tax authority interpreted them another way. The Duggars will bring forth documents say why their way is correct and tax lawyers will hash it out or come to some sort of compromise. Then that will be paid. But the IRS makes errors all the time once you've reached a level of complication.

[Absolom]

This isn't even the IRS.  It's the Arkansas tax board. It could be any number of things.  My state told me I was in default on taxes because they lost my W-2.  

[3 is enough]

This is not the first time Josh has been delinquent on taxes.  When he lived in Grandma's house they were behind on the property taxes.  I think it was a fairly small amount- less than $100, but they were still late.

 

I think someone posted that there were delinquent taxes on a property listed as belonging to JD as well.  

 

I guess the Duggars feel that paying taxes on time is beneath them.

[xtwheeler]

So much for "give unto Caesar his due" eh?

Edited April 2, 2015 by xtwheeler

[truelovekiss]

So much for "give unto Caesar his due" eh?

I guess that was a metaphor, like the wine and grape juice thing.

Edited April 2, 2015 by truelovekiss

[JoanArc]

http://www.people.com/article/josh-duggar-anna-duggar-religious-freedom-restoration-act-rally-arkansas

 

Poor Josh, doesn't he knwo the bill wont pass? Or the one that does in AR will pretty much be the opposite of what he hopes, and he's just too dumb to realize it.

[NEGirl]

i am appalled that a bill like that would pass in both Ind. and Ark. Never had any desire to go to either state(no knock on either state), but now will never go there.

[galax-arena]

And correct me if I'm wrong, but sexual orientation and gender identity aren't protected classes in either Arkansas or Indiana, right? In fact, IIRC it was Arkansas that recently passed another bill forbidding counties/cities from enacting their own local anti-discrimination ordinances that covered any group not already covered in the state constitution. So it's already legal to discriminate against LGBT people; infamous cases like the florist who was sued for not providing flowers for a same-sex wedding happened in states where sexual orientation is a protected class.

 

Josh Duggar and his ilk are just getting greedy with these RFRAs. You can already treat gay people as sub-human, Josh! Don't worry! But if you pass this RFRA you might have the unintended consequence of not being able to discriminate against non-Christian religions. Is that what you want? 

Edited April 3, 2015 by galax-arena

[DangerousMinds]

That florist who sued has gone out of business. As most who follow the same path will, IMHO.