Jordan not ruling out Speaker’s bid amid allegations

[corbe]

Jordan not ruling out Speaker’s bid amid allegations

By Melanie Zanona - 07/10/18 08:16 PM EDT

Rep. Jim Jordan said he is still contemplating a bid for Speaker if the GOP keeps its majority, even as the Ohio Republican battles allegations that he ignored accusations of sexual abuse on the Ohio State University wrestling team while he was a coach there.

“If and when there’s a Speaker’s race, I plan on being a part of the discussion,” Jordan, flanked by several members of the Freedom Caucus, told The Hill on Tuesday evening after House votes.

As he hustled through the Capitol tunnels with his jacket thrown over his shoulder, Jordan continued to adamantly deny that he had any knowledge that his wrestlers were allegedly being abused by a team doctor decades ago, and said he wants to see justice served if there were any victims.
“The investigation is going on, and if there were people who were harmed, they deserve justice,”

<..snip..>

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/396414-jordan-not-ruling-out-speakers-bid-amid-allegations

[corbe]

Freedom Caucus says it's behind Jordan '100 percent'

By Emily Birnbaum - 07/10/18 10:00 PM EDT 

The House Freedom Caucus on Tuesday announced its full support of Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who is being accused by several former Ohio State University wrestlers of turning a blind eye to sexual assault allegations while he was a coach there.

“Jim Jordan is a man of integrity, and we believe him and stand with him 100 percent,” the Freedom Caucus tweeted. “If he had seen or heard something, he would have acted.”

<..snip..>

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/396421-freedom-caucus-stands-behind-jordan-amid-ohio-state-abuse-scandal

[Bigun]

I'm 100% behind him also.  Not that it will matter at all.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Jordan not ruling out Speaker’s bid amid allegations

Good!  We need to fight for this one. 

[Right_in_Virginia]

Additional ex-wrestlers at Ohio State defend congressman Jim Jordan
NBC4i, Jul 10, 2018, Associated Press

<snip>

Statements from 14 individuals released by a Virginia public relations firm Tuesday include comments from wrestlers who say they knew nothing of the allegations against Strauss, and those who acknowledge possible issues with the doctor at the focus of an investigation.

All back Jordan's assertion he knew nothing of the alleged abuse when he was an assistant coach.

Strauss "conducted his transgressions behind closed doors and regretfully, I never told anyone except for my father. Jim Jordan is an honorable man that does not deserve this unwarranted attention," Matt Mondalek, who wrestled at the school from 1995 to 1999, said in a statement released by PR firm Shirley and Banister.

Andy Stickley, a wrestler from 1983 to 1987, said he never heard a teammate say they'd been abused by Strauss.

"Not only was Jim a great wrestling coach, but he has also consistently proven to be a man of highest integrity and certainly would not have turned his back on any wrong-doing," Stickley said in his statement.

One of the 14, Jim Picolo, who wrestled at Ohio State from 1982-87, told The Associated Press Tuesday he never heard about any abuse by Strauss. However, he did think the doctor was a bit odd.

"The only thing I remember is him showering a lot with different teams," Picolo said.

He and Jordan trained together when both were in high school, and Jordan later became an assistant coach at Ohio State during Picolo's senior year. He came to consider Jordan and head coach Russ Hellickson as friends.

"They fought for us in a lot of different ways on many occasions," Picolo said. "If anyone had acted in that manner toward us, they would have taken action."

Another of the 14, George Pardos, told NBC4 he too was unaware of any abuse during his time at Ohio State, from 1988-1993. Pardos said he does not believe Jordan was aware of it either.

"To not do something about one of his athletes getting, let's say sexually abused and not do something would just be out of character," Pardos said of the congressman.

On Monday, six former Ohio State wrestling coaches defended Jordan in a joint statement that said none of them was aware of abuse of wrestlers.


More:  https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/additional-ex-wrestlers-at-ohio-state-defend-congressman-jim-jordan/1294728819

[Emjay]

I really, really hope that Jim Jordan can become speaker. This sick attempt to dig through 20 years to find a fake scandal should not deprive him of that.

[corbe]

   Good Man, that I give the benefit of the doubt to, but realistically he didn't have a snowball chance in hell of Speaker anyway, Kevin McCarthy (John Boehner v3.0) is already baked into that pie.

[Chosen Daughter]

I'm 100% behind him also.  Not that it will matter at all.

I would support him as Speaker.  On the issues  http://www.ontheissues.org/OH/Jim_Jordan.htm he represents true Conservatism.  Absent of any proof on allegations and the fact that at least two of the accusers are scumbags and criminals there is no reason not to support him.  If they had facts or proof that would be a different story.  They don't.

[TomSea]

My support too.

All of this came out of essentially, nowhere.

[Emjay]

Good!  We need to fight for this one.

I think the dems made (another) mistake on this one.  They started it too early.  Now, there's been time for more reliable witnesses to come out and refute it.

[Fishrrman]

TomSea wrote:
"All of this came out of essentially, nowhere."

Call it a "Roy Moore moment", if you will...