Chad Gallagher was a name that was mentioned several times throughout Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets.
If you follow Arkansas politics, you may have already heard of him.
Not only is Chad Gallagher the public relations mouthpiece for Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, but he also worked with Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas.
The connections to the Duggars and Huckabee run deep, as they campaigned for him and were often seen together at political events. It makes sense they used Chad and his expertise.
He has an extensive background in politics and advising roles, and with the long relationship with the Duggars and the Huckabees, there is very little need to add more high-profile clients.
So who is Chad Gallagher?
Chad Gallagher owns a consulting firm
Chad Gallagher is a jack of all trades regarding public relations in all forms. From the political side to the financial side, he can navigate situations that otherwise might be intimidating.
How long he has been involved with the Duggar family is unclear. However, it was before the 2015 scandal because he was the one who set up the Megyn Kelly interview for the family and walked them through what they could do as far as damage control.
Chad is the “principal” of Legacy Consulting. His bio reads, in part, “Chad Gallagher is the founder and principal consultant at Legacy Consulting. Chad leads the company’s efforts in serving its clients. He is a former mayor of De Queen, Arkansas, where he was recognized statewide for successful strategies and innovative leadership.”
It goes on to praise him for his faith-based practice and marriage. He and his wife opened a Christian school and worked toward making religious education available for children in the area. Interestingly, it doesn’t specify whether he is involved with the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP).
He is married with four children, whose names are listed on his business site.
Why was Chad Gallagher mentioned?
When Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard were giving their interviews in the Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets docuseries, they mentioned Chad Gallagher. They revealed he was the one who helped the family navigate the 2015 scandal.
Chad also suggested the Megyn Kelly interview, where Jill revealed she felt the burden fell on her to try and fix things. Derick revealed that Jim Bob Duggar was only concerned about keeping the reality TV show and not the collateral damage it would cause.
Jill and Derick revealed that they attempted to speak with TLC directly to be paid, but they weren’t allowed to do so without Chad on the line with them as Jim Bob’s rep. He knew everything about the family and was paid to make sure Jim Bob got whatever he wanted at the time.
When the docuseries debuted, Jim Bob and Michelle also released a statement on social media, calling it “derogatory.” They did not address anything specifically but mentioned handling things in private, which was clearly a dig at Jill Duggar for her decision to speak out about her story.
He appears to be intertwined with the Duggar family deeply. After at least a decade of doing damage control and crisis PR, Jim Bob Duggar likely has no plans to cut ties.
Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets is streaming on Prime Video.