US News and World Report have revealed The Ohio State Legislature is pursuing an under-oath testimony from Rep. Jim Jordan. A lawsuit was filed this month in an Ohio federal court on behalf of 43 sexual assault victims of Ohio State wrestling team doctor Robert Strauss. Jordan was an assistant wrestling coach during the years that the abuse occurred. Dr. Strauss was accused of molestation and attempted rape of male athletes on the wrestling team and other sports teams during the 1980s and 1990s. He passed away in 2005 leaving behind 177 victims of his sexual abuse.
In the lawsuit, a professional referee who had been abused by Strauss says that Jordan was told about the ongoing abuse and did nothing to stop it. The referee says he told Jordan that Strauss masturbated in front of him in the shower and Jordan’s response was, ” Yeah, yeah, we know, that’s Strauss.” Head Coach at the time was Russ Hellickson who, with Jordan, took no action to stop the abuse.
Dunyasha Yetts, a former wrestling student at Ohio State was the 1st person to inform Jordan of the predatory behaviors by Dr. Strauss. He confirmed Jordan’s dismissive attitude of saying, “Yeah, we know.”
Jordan is known for his aggressive, arrogant communication style during congressional hearings. He staunchly defends Trump on all accounts despite the presence of facts that reveal unethical or illegal acts. Jordan’s ability to dismiss blatant wrongdoing by Trump justifies believing that he could have easily excused or minimized the criminal actions by Dr. Strauss.
The seriousness of the claims against Jordan should disqualify him for the office he holds. His failure to report the sexual abuse of underage athletes at Ohio State shows poor judgment and indifference towards their pain and suffering. When he was confronted about the allegations, he expressed anger and defensiveness but showed little empathy for the victims of the abuse. He thinks he is a tough guy, but smart people can see that he is an example of the cliched, bad-coach stereotype; big-mouthed and egotistical.
It appears there is a strong case against him for failing to report the ongoing sexual abuse at Ohio State. Therefore, based on his questionable character and lying about what he did, nothing he does or says as a member of the House should be seen as credible. An under-oath testimony by Jordan must be secured in pursuit of full transparency and accountability.
