Representative Jim Jordan Accused of Covering Up Sexual Assaults at Ohio State

Jim Jordan, a Republican congressman from Ohio, has been accused of covering up sexual assaults dating back to his time as an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State University.

According to NBC News' Corky Siemaszko, former Ohio State wrestlers said Jordan turned a blind eye to the conduct of Dr. Richard Strauss, a former team doctor who allegedly abused members of the wrestling team during his employment between the mid-1970s and the late 1990s. 

"Three former wrestlers told NBC News that it was common knowledge that Strauss showered regularly with the students and inappropriately touched them during appointments, and said it would have been impossible for Jordan to be unaware; one wrestler said he told Jordan directly about the abuse," Siemaszko wrote. 

Former wrestlers Mike DiSabato and Dunyasha Yetts singled out Jordan for not speaking up after they notified him of Strauss' actions. 

"I considered Jim Jordan a friend," DiSabato said, per Siemaszko. "But at the end of the day, he is absolutely lying if he says he doesn’t know what was going on."

Yetts added: "I remember I had a thumb injury and went into Strauss' office and he started pulling down my wrestling shorts. 'I'm like, what the f--k are you doing?' And I went out and told Russ and Jim what happened. I was not having it. They went in and talked to Strauss."

Jordan's spokesman, Ian Fury, denied the allegations Tuesday. 

"Congressman Jordan never saw any abuse, never heard about any abuse, and never had any abuse reported to him during his time as a coach at Ohio State," he said. 

According to the Columbus Dispatch's Jennifer Smola, Ohio State opened an investigation into allegations against Strauss, who died in 2005, in April.