![\"jim](\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/jim_jordan-800x395.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The leader of the House Freedom Caucus, Rep. Jim Jordan<\/a> (R-Ohio), the home base for\u00a0in Washington for the Tea Party movement, has become embroiled in a massive sexual assault scandal involving student athletes. And yet, despite the mounting evidence against him, so far, he refuses to resign from Congress.<\/p>\n What we know about Jim Jordan<\/p>\n Over the weekend, a seventh<\/a> former Ohio State University wrestler came forward to say that\u00a0 Jordan knew about sexual misconduct by a team doctor while he worked as an assistant wrestling coach at the university between 1987 and 1995.<\/p>\n The doctor, Richard Strauss, is accused of regularly molesting OSU athletes across more than a dozen sports. The abuse reportedly took place over the course of several decades. He was known to touch wrestlers inappropriately during examinations and ogle them in locker room showers. <\/p>\n Some accusers allege<\/a> that he would shower with athletes multiple times a day and he was known to perform genital exams on students when they weren\u2019t necessary. The accusations became public information following a statement<\/a> issued by Ohio State in early April, in which they announced that numerous allegations had been made against Strauss.\u00a0Strauss committed suicide in 2005.<\/p>\n \nREAD MORE:<\/p>\n Who is Jordan Peterson, the ‘alt-right’ darling of YouTube?<\/a> What does Jim Jordan have to do with the Strauss scandal?<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tGage Skidmore\/Flickr<\/a>\n\t\t <\/p>\n As the investigation has unfolded, a number of former athletes have insisted that Jordan had knowledge of Strauss\u2019s behavior, but turned a blind eye. One former OSU wrestler told<\/a>\u00a0the Washington Post, \u201cJordan definitely knew that these things were happening\u2014yes, most definitely. It was there. He knew about it because it was an everyday occurrence.\u201d<\/p>\n Mike DiSabato, a former OSU wrestler who has publicly come forward against Strauss \u00a0says<\/a> he reached out to Jordan before going public with his allegations, but that Jordan told DiSabato \u201cnot to get him involved.\u201d<\/p>\n Another ex-OSU wrestler told CNN<\/a>, “Jordan is denying this because obviously it would be political suicide for him. He’s still denying it. Jim Jordan knew. He didn’t do anything about it.”<\/p>\n Prior to these accusations, many in the Freedom Caucus viewed Jordan as a potential candidate for Republican Party leadership. The 54-year-old, now in his sixth term, has earned the admiration of his GOP colleagues for his uncompromising conservatism. With the pending retirement of Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) as Speaker of the House, some insiders predicted Jordan might make a play for the role. Given this recent news, his political ascendancy is in doubt.<\/p>\n \nREAD MORE:<\/p>\n 13 InfoWars conspiracy theories you won\u2019t believe exist<\/a> What are Jim Jordan’s politics?<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tGage Skidmore\/Flickr<\/a>\n\t\t <\/p>\n Jordan\u2019s politics fall in line with far-right Freedom Caucus orthodoxy. When he entered Congress in 2006, he won re-election focusing<\/a> on welfare and tax cuts. He is also far to the right on social issues, a hardliner<\/a> on abortion and gay marriage.\u00a0\u00a0Jordan has been known to spearhead radical right-wing actions like refusing to sign on to Ryan\u2019s budgets until they contain deeper cuts and fighting immigration reform.\u00a0<\/p>\n In addition to his role in shaping the politics of the Freedom Caucus, Jordan has also been an adamant defender of President Donald Trump<\/a>. He has helped lead the attempt to counter-investigate Robert Mueller and his team.\u00a0<\/p>\n President Trump has rewarded Jordan\u2019s loyalty with words of support. Last week, he said<\/a>, \u201cJim Jordan is one of the most outstanding people I\u2019ve met since I\u2019ve been in Washington. I believe him 100 percent. No question in my mind.\u201d <\/p>\n Jordan himself has also remained defiant<\/a>. This week, he has refused calls to step down and insisted that \u201cdeep state<\/a>\u201d forces are behind the scandal. Last week, he accused the ex-wrestlers of lying for the sake of political opportunism on Fox News. He said, \u201cI think the timing is suspect when you think about how this whole story came together after the Rosenstein hearing and the speaker\u2019s race.\u201d<\/p>\n He has also called it fake news.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t@Jim_Jordan\/Twitter<\/a>\n\t\t <\/p>\n Will Jim Jordan remain in office?<\/p>\n Most of Jordan\u2019s fellow Freedom Caucus members\u2014which the embattled congressman co-founded\u2014have taken a \u201cwait and see approach\u201d regarding Jordan remaining in office. Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) has been one of his only vocal defenders.<\/p>\n In a statement<\/a> released Monday, Gohmert said, \u201cI personally vouch for the integrity of Jim Jordan.\u201d <\/p>\n He also cast downplayed the claims of the wrestlers, writing, “Unlike the Olympians who were minor children at the time they were abused, these former wrestlers were adults at the time they claim they were sexually abused by the Ohio State team doctor. Note that they do not claim they reported specific abuse to Jim Jordan or to anyone else.”<\/p>\n A request<\/a> has been submitted to the Office of Congressional Ethics to launch an investigation and Democracy 21, a non-profit watchdog group, called for his resignation on Monday. However, on Wednesday, Paul Ryan called Jordan<\/a>, \u201ca man of honesty, a man of integrity,\u201d and hinted that an ethics investigation may not take place. <\/p>\n Ryan\u2019s words signal that the Republican Party may be leaning toward supporting Jordan through the investigation rather than calling for his resignation. Jordan’s chances to become speaker may have diminished. However, it remains to be seen if these allegations will have any meaningful impact on his career.<\/p>\n Editor’s note: This article is regularly updated for relevance.\u00a0<\/p>\n The post Who is Jim Jordan\u2014and what does he have to do with the Ohio State abuse scandal?<\/a> appeared first on The Daily Dot<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\nWhat exactly is \u2018Trump Derangement Syndrome?\u2019<\/a>
\nFrom \u2018alt-right\u2019 to white supremacy: A guide to America\u2019s new racists<\/a>
\nWho is George Soros, conservatives\u2019 biggest boogeyman?<\/a><\/p>\n![\"jim](\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/jim_jordan_2.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nWhat every American should know about the Senate Judiciary Committee<\/a>
\n10 important things to know about the House Freedom Caucus<\/a>
\nWhat is FISA? The surveillance law that\u2019s tearing congress apart<\/a><\/p>\n![\"jim](\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/jim_jordan_1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"jim](\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/jim_jordan-1.png\")
<\/p>\n