Ohio Congressmnan Jim Jordan (R) may be even angrier and more on edge than usual in the days ahead as the result of a Supreme Court ruling handed down that leaves in place a prior decision allowing over 230 men to sue Ohio State University for sexual abuse committed by Richard Strauss, a deceased former doctor who was employed by the university.
According to the Associated Press:
Two cases involving the abuse were on a list of many cases the court said it would not hear. And, as is typical, the court did not comment in saying it would not hear the cases.
Ohio State University had urged the court to review a ruling by the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that revived lawsuits that had been dismissed. The men who sued are among hundreds of former student-athletes and other alumni who say they were abused by Strauss, who worked at the school from 1978 to 1998.
They say university officials failed to stop him despite complaints raised as early as the late 1970s. Many of them allege Strauss abused them during required physicals and other medical exams at campus athletic facilities, a student health center, his home and an off-campus clinic.
Jordan’s connection to the scandal involves his role as an assistant coach for the OSU men’s wrestling team during the time of the alleged sexual assaults.
Six former wrestlers say Jordan knew they were being abused by Dr. Strauss but did nothing to stop or even report what was taking place.
As CNN noted in 2020, the wrestlers allege that “Jordan heard or responded to sexual misconduct complaints about team doctor Richard Strauss. Eight others say Strauss’ inappropriate behavior was an open secret in the athletic department and that Jordan, among others, must have known about it.”
Jordan has repeatedly denied he knew anything about the abuse, but one of the former wrestlers, Tito Vasquez, says the congressman is lying:
“When these complaints come and he pretends now that he had no knowledge of it, that’s betrayal in the highest level.”
The Supreme Court decision could also have repercussions for Jordan, if only by placing the matter back in the public eye with the congressman seeking reelection 2024 and drawing strong criticism for his hearings on what he calls the “weaponization” of the FBI and Justice Department by the Biden administration.
Additionally, Jordan is facing the prospect of being further damaged by an upcoming HBO documentary being compiled by actor George Clooney’s Smokehouse Pictures, with Clooney remarking, “It’s a devastating story about people in power abusing and then covering up their criminal actions against students. The fact that it hasn’t been resolved as of yet is deeply disturbing.”
Be afraid, Gym. Be very afraid.
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