Rep. Jim Jordan is a Congressman from my home state of Ohio, I'm embarrassed to say. He's a loudmouth Tea Bag Repuglican, and a leader of the House obstructionists, the Freedom Caucus, who's fashioned a career out of being a mean, stupid prick. (At least he's not my rep.)
Strauss is now alleged to have engaged in multiple acts of sexual abuse during his 20 year tenure. One former wrestler suggested Strauss could have molested up to 2000 athletes, and said his misconduct was common knowledge in athletic circles. A Columbus Dispatch sportswriter wrote of his time on the OSU track team, and how Strauss made him and his teammates uncomfortable with his "handsy," genitals-focused physical exams. Strauss was known to shower with athletes at every opportunity. He committed suicide in 2005.
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| Dr. Strauss |
At least seven wrestlers (and counting) have come forward to accuse Jordan of knowing all about Strauss's abuse, being asked to intervene to stop it, and yet doing nothing about it. One, Dunyasha Yetts, was quoted as saying he told Jordan about Strauss's behavior and asked him and head coach Russ Hellickson to join him in confronting the doctor: "Seriously, Jimmy, why do I have to pull down my pants for a thumb injury?"
No surprise, Jordan has denied having any knowledge of Strauss's abuse but has sliced the baloney very thin. He admits to "locker room conversations" (where have I heard that before?) but says such talk differs from formal charges against Strauss, and no charges were ever brought. (Apparently, for Jordan, knowledge comes only after charges are filed.) He has attacked his accusers and said they're are engaging in a political vendetta against him.
Yetts is unimpressed with Jordan's denial. "For him to say he didn't know? I asked him to come in there [the doctor's office] with me!" said Yetts. Former OSU NCAA wrestling champ Mark Coleman agrees: "There's no way, unless he's got dementia or something, that [Jordan's] got no recollection of what was going on at Ohio State."
Jordan has one person who believes his denial -- the fake president. Quoth Orange Julius: "I believe him 100%. No question in my mind." How would Trump know the first thing about what Jordan did or didn't do back then? And why would anyone take anything Trump says seriously, especially when the Pussy Grabber offers his immaculate opinion on the topic of sexual assault? STFU, Donnie!
It's clear that Jim Jordan and many, many others at OSU knew about the molester Dr. Richard Strauss, but just like at the other universities, they found it far too easy to check their ethics at the door and look the other way. They were more interested in protecting institutions, not individuals.
This will not end well for OSU. Claims will be filed and millions of dollars will be paid to make the claimants go away. Will Jim Jordan have to go away too? Let's hope so. He's been nothing but a nasty, negative force in American politics for decade. We'd all be better off without him. If Al Franken had to quit over some stupid pretend breast-cupping photographs, then Jim Jordan must resign for tolerating actual locker room cock-fondling and buggery.
Don't like Jordan either, but your story is too one-sided. Of course, I understand that's your MO. While this likely won't end well for Ohio State, you have failed to even acknowledge that at least 15 wrestlers and several coaches say Jordan is clean in this whole mess. Nor do you address why Jordan is the target when so many athletes from other teams have leveled complaints. What about their coaches and the administrators. Why is Jordan taking all the suspicion and not others who may have been aware? I hope Jordan doesn't get a sniff at the House Speaker position, but his involvement in this case isn't clear yet. You needn't present as if it is.
ReplyDeleteI commend Mr. or Ms. Anonymous for not liking Jordan and not wanting him to become Speaker of the House, but my "M.O." and I will quibble with rest.
ReplyDelete"Too one-sided"? Not every issue is a 50/50 proposition. Sometimes the sides are not equivalent, not equally credible.
I "fail to acknowledge" that other wrestlers and coaches say "Jordan is clean"? There's too much evidence which says otherwise, and I simply don't believe those people. So what if I didn't mention them? They're in standard denial mode, predictably circling the wagons to protect themselves. (See Penn State and Michigan State for examples of the same thing.)
"Why is Jordan the target?" Why is he "taking all the suspicion"? Bearing in mind that the real target, Dr. Strauss, has been dead for over a decade, Jordan is in the hot seat because of who he is and how he conducts himself. He's an ambitious, high-profile politician who's a combative, sanctimonious, family-values right-winger. His involvement in this scandal stands in stark contrast to his carefully crafted conservative Christian political persona. Of course that will draw attention. That's politics, and all's fair.
No, he's not "taking all the suspicion." No one has suggested Jordan is the only one to blame. Far from it. Clearly, many others were also aware, including those who bore more direct responsibility than did Jordan. But they're not so well known and they've been mum. Jordan is on the national stage and he's been his usual outspoken, confrontational self, immediately hiring a PR firm and going on national TV to attack and belittle his accusers. He could have chosen a different approach to this problem.
"His involvement in this case isn't clear yet"? I see it differently. Clearly, a lot of people knew about the problems with Dr. Strauss. (How could they not?) Clearly, Jordan knew. And clearly he did nothing about it, even when asked to do so.
I hope he regrets his inaction. A quick and forthright acknowledgment and a contrite apology would have served him better than his snarling pit bull routine.