On Tuesday, unfortunate reports about Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) suggested that he kept quiet about sexual abuse while serving as a wrestling coach at Ohio State University. Dr. Richard Strauss, who died in 2005, was accused of sexually assaulting wrestling team members while he was the team doctor from the 1970s to the 1990s. Jordan, who was the assistant coach from 1986 to 1994, may have covered up the incidents, according to the reports. He, however, is denying the accusation.
“Congressman Jordan never saw any abuse, never heard about any abuse, and never had any abuse reported to him during his time as a coach at Ohio State," Jordan's spokesman Ian Fury told NBC News.
CNN confronted Jordan himself on this Fourth of July. The congressman said he does remember Dr. Strauss, but echoed his spokesman by insisting he knew nothing of the alleged abuse.
Rep. Jim Jordan confirms he knew Dr. Strauss when he worked at Ohio State University but denies he knew about any abuse: "There's no truth to the fact that I knew of any abuse... I never knew of any abuse from Dr. Strauss plain and simple" https://t.co/H68elc3CrK pic.twitter.com/EG7FwD2ffY
— CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) July 4, 2018
"I never knew of any abuse from Dr. Strauss, plain and simple."
Wrestlers who were on the team at the time, however, are calling Jordan a liar.
“It would have been impossible for Jordan to be unaware,” they told NBC.
Dunyasha Yetts, who wrestled at OSU from 1993 to 1994, explained why.
“For God’s sake, Strauss’s locker was right next to Jordan’s and Jordan even said he’d kill him if he tried anything with him,” Yetts said.
Mike DiSabato, who says he was one of Strauss's victims, insisted on CNN Wednesday that he told Jordan about the abuse while he was at OSU.
Jordan's colleagues, meanwhile, are defending his character. House Freedom Caucus Chair Mark Meadows (R-NC), for instance, told Fox News that Jordan would be the first person to stand up for justice.
Co-Hse Freedom Caucus Chair Meadows on allegations made against fellow co-chair Jordan: Not only do I fully support Jim Jordan, but I would know he would be the first to stand up for justice
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) July 4, 2018
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