Credit: ABC Press/Disney/Ser Baffo, Disney/Fred Hayes/ABC Press Images, LISA OConnor/AFF-USA.com / MEGA
Taylor Frankie Paul defended Jessi Draper in an Instagram comment after her ex, Dakota Mortensen, called her out for a switch-up.
As a leaked voice note featured Jessi, 33, expressing concern about aligning with Taylor, 31, amid her and Dakota’s domestic violence scandal and suggesting that the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives cast should see videos of Taylor’s attacks against Dakota, 33, for context, Dakota lashed out against her in a comment and accused her of being an “opportunist,” prompting Taylor to speak out, as well.
“[Jessi] literally was begging me to show her and the girls the videos, the blatant lies [Jessi Draper] you straight up cried when you watched the videos, and you saw like [two]. I never even felt comfortable showing you guys, but you insisted, so you could make a decision. All I did was told you what happened,” Dakota wrote, as seen in a joint post from The Mormon Wives Report and Steph With the Deets on Instagram.
“You act like I had this all planned,” he continued. “Ya I planned being attacked two nights in a row and the cops being called. Sorry you can support Taylor but quit acting like you are this loyal a** friend when you have watched exactly our dynamic and you know how that looks. You are an opportunist and you do what’s best for you, as you should. [Cru Eaton] does what he wants I don’t control him just like you don’t control Taylor. Just find it funny the crazy switch up ever.”
In response, as also seen in the screenshot, Taylor confirmed she was aware of what Jessi had told Dakota months ago, as her season of The Bachelorette was canceled due to the leaking of videos and shocking allegations against her.
“Aw guess what Jessi already told me the truth including her part … sorry boys, all you’ve done is shown what she is saying is true,” Taylor declared.
As SLOMW fans may have seen, TMZ obtained a clip of Jessi speaking to Dakota earlier this week in which she suggested that their production team tried to paint Taylor as a “victim.”
“I don’t know how much [Jordan Ngatikaura] has told you on production’s end, but pretty much everyone is in alignment as far as the cast goes about not really wanting to publicly support Taylor at the moment with the Bachelorette stuff,” Jessi alleged in a March 5 audio recording. “Just because we all feel so uneasy about if this comes out. And honestly, morally, none of us can just sit by and be like, ‘Oh, my gosh, we’re so excited for her’ when we know the truth. And we all feel that way, but we are having, like, production and management gaslight the f*ck out of us.”
According to Jessi, she felt that production was “definitely trying to spin that narrative to protect [Taylor] and the show.”
I think we’re all, as parents, like, ‘This isn’t OK.’ We know this situation is dangerous, and it needs to change. If she gets away with this with no consequences, then it’s not good for anyone, especially the kids,” she continued.
As for the videos, Jessi said she felt it was a good idea for her co-stars to see the footage.
“It would be helpful if some of them saw,” she said. “I don’t know how many are interested in seeing them.”
Jessi also spoke out about the situation in an Instagram Story.
“Yes, at the time, me and the girls were frustrated with Taylor’s behavior. We were concerned because of these videos — you guys have seen one of them — and the things we heard that you have now heard discussed in court were worrisome. So yes, I was under that spell. I did believe it all,” she admitted, per Us Weekly.
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season five is currently in production after a brief pause.