11/8/19
A college wrestling referee says he reported sexual misconduct involving a former doctor who’s been accused sexually abusing nearly 300 men over a 17-year period to Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), a former assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State. The congressman was dismissive, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday in federal court, and the doctor, Richard Strauss, continued to treat and abuse students at the school. Ohio State says it’s aware of 1,429 instances of fondling and 47 instances of rape involving Strauss, who committed suicide in 2005. Thursday’s filing marks the 13th lawsuit against the school. Jordan has found himself at the periphery of the controversy because some former wrestlers have said he was aware — or should have been aware — of Strauss’s misconduct. Jordan has denied any knowledge of the abuse, and did so again on Friday. Top House lawmakers of both parties have largely kept quiet about the Ohio State allegations, allowing investigations to play out. When the university issued a report in May finding that investigators could not make “conclusive determinations” about whether particular employees knew of Strauss’s conduct, Jordan claimed vindication.
The complaint states that the referee told Strauss his behavior was inappropriate and reported the incident to a pair of Ohio State coaches, including Jordan. “They responded, ‘Yeah, that’s Strauss,’” the complaint states. In May an independent investigation paid for by Ohio State identified at least 177 male students who said they were abused by Strauss from 1979 until 1996. Even before the report, many former wrestlers from the school had publicly said that Jordan should have been aware of the abuse, given his position on the coaching staff and widespread rumors about Strauss. In May an independent investigation paid for by Ohio State identified at least 177 male students who said they were abused by Strauss from 1979 until 1996. Even before the report, many former wrestlers from the school had publicly said that Jordan should have been aware of the abuse, given his position on the coaching staff and widespread rumors about Strauss. Former wrestler Dunyasha Yetts has told NBC News that he reported to Jordan and the team’s former head coach that Strauss attempted to pull down his pants when the wrestler sought treatment for a thumb injury. Yetts was part of a lawsuit filed against the school in June, though Jordan was not named in the complaint. “It’s good that people are starting to come forward and say the truth, which is that Jordan and the other coaches knew what was going on and they blew it off,” Yetts told NBC News Thursday.