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Jordan must have "dementa" to claim he didn't know, says Mark Coleman.
Yet another former Ohio State University wrester, UFC fighter Mark Coleman, has accused Republican Congressman Jim Jordan of knowing about sexual misconduct by a team doctor.
Jordan, a far-right House member from Ohio, was an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State in thr 1990s, during a period when team doctor Richard Strauss is said to have repeatedly abused student athletes
"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, a former UFC champion, told The Wall Street Journal. The Journal story is available to subscribers only, but The Hill has a summary. "I have nothing but respect for this man, I love this man, but he knew as far as I'm concerned," added Coleman, who was Jordan's roommate during the team's road trips.
He is the fifth former Ohio State wrestler to contend that Jordan knew about Strauss's alleged misconduct. Earlier this week, Michael DiSabato told CNN that Strauss groped his genitals during an examination and that the doctor, who is now deceased, and other authority figures were enabled in sexual abuse by the fact that faculty and staff members used the same showers as student athletes.
There was "a group of athletes who were complaining on a regular basis, not only about Strauss but the conditions within the hall that forced us to take showers with not only Strauss but other university faculty members and professors who had access to our shower facility that led to lewd acts, masturbation, excessive soaping of the groin area," DiSabato said.
He also expressed affection and respect for Jordan but said he is puzzled by the congressman's refusal to acknowledge Strauss's misdeeds. DiSabato said he had emailed Jordan to ask him to help bring attention to the issue.
Jordan has denied any knowledge of the abuse and said he would have addressed it had he known. Donald Trump has said he believes Jordan.
Jordan, a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus, has been considered a possible replacement for Paul Ryan as speaker of the House, as Ryan is not seeking reelection to Congress this fall. Jordan has a strong anti-LGBT record, having opposed marriage equality and the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell."
