Jim Jordan, the U.S. Representative for Ohio’s 4th district, has been battling claims that, while a wrestling coach at Ohio State University, he heard accusations of sexual abuse directed towards a team doctor and failed to protect student wrestlers from further harm.
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Jordan, himself a two-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion, coached wrestling at OSU from 1987 to 1995. During his time there, the wrestling team was under the purview of Dr. Richard Strauss.
Strauss, who died by suicide in 2005, is accused of abusing at least 177 male students while working with OSU’s athletic teams and an off-campus student health facility.
In 2020 OSU agreed to pay a $40.9 million settlement to Strauss’ accusers.
Several former OSU wrestlers spoke up about Strauss and accused him of molesting them during physical examinations. Many of them have said that Jordan, and former head coach Russ Hellickson, knew about their claims against Strauss. Jordan has denied these claims.
Mark Coleman said Jim Jordan knew what was happening
Former UFC heavyweight champion Mark Coleman is one OSU wrestler who said he was abused by Strauss. Initially he said Jim Jordan knew about what was going on with Strauss.
“There’s no way unless he’s got dementia or something that he’s got no recollection of what was going on at Ohio State,” Coleman said to The Wall Street Journal. “I have nothing but respect for this man. I love this man. But he knew as far as I’m concerned.”
Coleman walked back that statement almost immediately telling CNN that he had no direct knowledge of abuse being reported to Jordan.
Coleman told the The New York Times this week that this reversal came after Jordan contacted his parents. NYT reports that ‘Jordan spoke on the phone with Coleman’s aging parents in an effort to get him to change his story.’
A lawyer for Jordan told that outlet that Jordan did speak with Coleman’s parents, but that the conversation happened after they approached Jordan at an event and ‘expressed a desire to clarify what their son had said.’
Former wrestlers who stand by their claims that Jordan knew about the abuse include Mike DiSabato, David Range and Dunyasha Yetts. Yetts has gone as far as to state that Jordan told him he would kill Strauss “if he tried anything” with him.
Jim Jordan was honoured by President Trump
In January 2021 Jim Jordan was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by then President Donald Trump in a closed-door ceremony. That ceremony came days after the January 6 United States Capitol attack.
Before and immediately after that attack Jordan, according to NYT, worked with fellow Trump insiders to overturn the results of the 2020 US elections which were won by current President Joe Biden.
Since Trump left office Jordan has maintained his support for the former President and has opposed Democrat lead investigations and hearings into the January 6th attack.
When asked about claims against Jordan in 2019, Trump answered “I don’t believe them at all.”
Survivors of sexual assault can find support via the following organizations
- US – Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN)’s National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). RAINN also has an online chat service.
- Love is Respect, 1-866-331-9474. They can also be reached via online chat or by texting LOVEIS to 22522.
- End Rape on Campus (EROC), 1-424-777-EROC (3762).
- Canada – Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime, 1-877-232-2610.
- UK and Ireland – UK Says No More.
- Rest of the World – International Rape Crisis Hotlines.
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