Ohio
Rep. Jim Jordan’s Speakership Bid Raises New Criticism He Covered Up Sexual Abuse At Ohio State—Here’s What To Know
Topline
Rep. Jim Jordan’s (R-Ohio) campaign to become the next House speaker has cast a new spotlight on allegations that he ignored accusations while serving as an Ohio State assistant wrestling coach against a school doctor who sexually abused hundreds of students during his tenure at the school in the mid-1970s through the late 1990s.
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, leaves a House Republican Conference candidate forum for speaker meeting in … [+]
Key Facts
Four former Ohio State University wrestlers, who are among the hundreds of students who said they were abused by school doctor Richard Strauss, spoke out against Jordan’s speakership bid in interviews with NBC News as Jordan is vying to fill the vacancy left when the House voted to remove Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as speaker last week.
A university-commissioned investigation found in 2019 that Strauss, who died in 2005, sexually abused hundreds of male students during his tenure at the university and concluded that multiple university officials knew about the allegations, described by many students interviewed by investigators as an open secret.
One of the wrestlers who spoke to NBC, Dunyasha Yetts—who is among the hundreds of students who sued the university for failing to stop the abuse— has spoken out previously against Jordan, telling CNN in 2020 he raised concerns about Strauss with Jordan and then-head wrestling coach Russ Hellickson in 1992.
“He doesn’t deserve to be House speaker,” Yetts told NBC, adding “he still has to answer for what happened to us.”
Yetts is among six students who told CNN in 2020 they either complained to Jordan directly about the abuse or witnessed other students telling Jordan about Strauss’ conduct when Jordan worked as an assistant wrestling coach from 1986 through 1994.
Jordan, who was not named in the 2019 report, has repeatedly denied any prior knowledge of the allegations since they became public in 2018.
Tangent
One of the former students who spoke to CNN in 2020, Tito Vazquez, said he confided in Jordan directly after Strauss insisted on examining his genitals when he went to see him for a bloody nose. Vazquez told CNN Jordan dismissed his concerns, telling him “I have nothing to do with this.” Two other former wrestlers, Dan Ritchie and Mike Flusche, told the network they remember Jordan saying he would break Strauss’ neck if he attempted to abuse him. Yetts said Jordan also responded to his complaints by saying he would physically retaliate against Strauss if he were put in a similar situation.
Contra
Jordan has repeatedly denied any knowledge of the abuse during his time at Ohio State, telling CNN in 2020 “the idea that I wouldn’t stand up for these athletes is ridiculous” while suggesting they were bringing the claims now in a bid to secure settlements. Hellickson has also defended Jordan and told CNN it’s possible Jordan wasn’t aware of any allegations.
Key Background
An outside law firm, Perkins Cole, hired by the university to investigate the allegations, published a report in 2019 that found Strauss abused at least 177 male students between 1979 and 1997 at his on- and off-campus clinics. The university apologized for Strauss’ conduct following the report’s release, and it has reached over $60 million in settlements with more than 250 alleged victims. Strauss was fired by the university in 1996 following an internal investigation into the abuse allegations, but he was kept on as tenured faculty and set up an off-campus clinic where he allegedly continued the abuse, according to the report. He was eventually allowed to retire with distinguished emeritus status.
What To Watch For
House Republicans are expected to nominate a candidate for speaker in a closed-door meeting Wednesday ahead of a formal election expected to take place later this week. Jordan is running against Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) and is the preferred candidate among those on the far-right. Jordan is a staunch ally of former President Donald Trump, who has endorsed his speakership bid. He is also spearheading various GOP-led investigations into President Joe Biden as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. Even if Scalise secures the Republican nomination, Jordan could still be nominated during the formal election process if Scalise fails to secure the majority votes needed to win on the House floor.
Further Reading
Jim Jordan—Trump Ally, One Of Congress’s Most Conservative—Wants To Be Speaker. Here’s What You Need To Know About Him. (Forbes)
Jim Jordan Running For House Speaker After McCarthy’s Ouster—Likely Against Scalise (Forbes)
Trump Endorses Rep. Jim Jordan For House Speaker After McCarthy Ouster (Forbes)