Jim Jordan Accused Of Covering Up Knowledge Of Sexual Abuse

Many don’t know this (I didn’t!), but Rep. Jim Jordan used to coach wrestlers at Ohio State University. That past is now coming back to haunt him.

Former wrestlers are now claiming that Jordan is lying when he says that he wasn’t aware of the rumors that the team’s doctor was sexually abusing students.

The university announced in April that it was investigating accusations that Dr. Richard Strauss, who died in 2005, abused team members when he was the team doctor from the mid-1970s to late 1990s.

Jordan, who was assistant wrestling coach at the university from 1986 to 1994, has repeatedly said he knew nothing of the abuse until former students began speaking out this spring. His denials, however, have been met with skepticism and anger from some former members of the wrestling team.

The former students are calling Jordan a liar. They say there’s no way he didn’t know what was going on. It was apparently “common knowledge.”

Three former wrestlers told NBC News that it was common knowledge that Strauss showered regularly with the students and inappropriately touched them during appointments, and said it would have been impossible for Jordan to be unaware; one wrestler said he told Jordan directly about the abuse.

Former head coach Russ Hellickson, Jordan’s mentor, said in a recent video — made by Mike DiSabato, a former wrestler — that Hellickson had told Strauss that he was being too “hands on” with students.

DiSabato, whose allegations against Strauss prompted Ohio State to open its investigation, called Jordan a “liar.”

“I considered Jim Jordan a friend,” DiSabato said. “But at the end of the day, he is absolutely lying if he says he doesn’t know what was going on.”

DiSabato told NBC that he approached Jordan about going public with the accusations, but Jordan didn’t want anything to do with it.

“He asked me not to get him involved,” DiSabato said.

Another former student, Dunyasha Yetts, said students told Jordan about Strauss.

“I remember I had a thumb injury and went into Strauss’ office and he started pulling down my wrestling shorts,” he said. “I’m like, what the f— are you doing? And I went out and told Russ and Jim what happened. I was not having it. They went in and talked to Strauss.”

Yetts said he and his teammates talked to Jordan numerous times about Strauss.

“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.

Yetts admitted that he did time for bilking investors out of nearly $2 million. “I am not a perfect person, but ask any of the wrestlers and they will tell you everybody knew about Doc,” said Yetts, who served 18 months in prison.

Other than calling out Jordan for denying knowledge of the abuse, they have nothing but positive things to say about him.

“He’s a great guy. We would have all these great talks with him and he talked about how one day he’d be the president of the United States,” Yetts said.

“So it’s sad for me to hear that he’s denying knowing about Strauss,” he continued. “I don’t know why he would, unless it’s a cover-up. Either you’re in on it, or you’re a liar.”

Another former wrestler said, “I love Jimmy to death. It was a head-scratcher to me why he would say he didn’t know anything. Doc used to take showers with the team even though he didn’t do any workouts, and everybody used to snicker about how you go into his office for a sore shoulder and he tells you to take your pants down.”

I just don’t understand why an adult SEEING that happen wouldn’t say anything. I wasn’t there, so I don’t know what happened. But if they’re all telling the truth– and I tend to believe that they are– why would someone like Jordan not confront him directly and blow the entire thing up? I don’t think he was “in” on it. I think it’s another case of “out of sight, out of mind.” Just ask Hollywood. They know ALL about that.

But at the same time…why did it take 20 years for this to come out?

ALERT: EVERYONE should immediately demand GOP Rep Jim Jordan’s resignation for knowing his wrestlers at Ohio State were being sexually abused by the team doctor, and doing absolutely nothing about it. #JimJordanResign

— Scott Dworkin (@funder) July 3, 2018

Again. 20 YEARS.

Jim Jordan goes against the powerful interests at the FBI & deep state to expose them & hold them accountable for their crimes.

Now all of a sudden there is a concentrated smear campaign against him in a deliberate attempt to discredit his work?

The American people know better. pic.twitter.com/QyAiESmnlW

— Mike Tokes (@MikeTokes) July 3, 2018

Regarding recent allegations against Rep. Jim Jordan, this reeks of dirty tricks. Why did it take 20 years for someone to make this accusation? Could it be because Rep. Jordan is running for GOP House leadership?

— Brent Bozell (@BrentBozell) July 3, 2018

What do you think?

h/t NBC News