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4th District Congressman Jim Jordan has taken on a higher profile of late and he is now facing allegations of keeping quiet related to an Ohio State doctor accused of sexual abuse 20 years ago.
Jordan, a wrestling legend, was an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State from 1986 to 1994. The university announced in April it was investigating allegations against team doctor, the late Richard Strauss.
According to NBC news, three former wrestlers told them Jordan knew of the abuse and did nothing to stop it. One wrestler told NBC that he told Jordan directly about the abuse.
One of the wrestlers called Jordan "a liar" if he denies knowing about the abuse.
Congressman Jordan's office released a statement that said, "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".
Associated Press Release Story
Two former wrestlers at Ohio State University say a congressman isn't being truthful when he says he wasn't aware of allegations that a team doctor was abusing athletes.
Mike DiSabato and Dunyasha Yetts both wrestled at the university in the 1990s. They say U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican who has expressed interest in running for House speaker, knew at the time that the doctor was groping male wrestlers.
The wrestlers' allegations were first reported Tuesday by NBC.
Male athletes from 14 sports at Ohio State have reported alleged sexual misconduct by Richard Strauss. Strauss died in 2005.
Jordan's spokesman says in a statement the congressman never saw or heard about any abuse or had any abuse reported when he was an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State.
The U.S. House speaker's office is calling "serious" statements by two former Ohio State wrestlers that Republican Rep. Jim Jordan hasn't been truthful when asserting he was unaware of allegations that a now-dead team doctor was abusing athletes.
Speaker Paul Ryan's spokesman issued a statement Tuesday in response to news reports that 1990s wrestling students Mike DiSabato and Dunyasha Yetts say Jordan knew at the time that doctor Richard Strauss was groping male wrestlers.
Doug Andres says the university has "rightfully initiated a full investigation into the matter" and the speaker will "await the findings of that inquiry".
Jordan's spokesman says the congressman never saw or heard about any abuse or had any abuse reported when he was an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State.
