Rep. Jim Jordan, a Republican from Ohio and current chair of the House Judiciary Committee, is expected to give a sworn deposition as part of a civil lawsuit tied to the Ohio State University sexual abuse scandal involving former team doctor Richard Strauss.
Jordan previously worked as an assistant wrestling coach at OSU in the 1980s and 1990s—during the time when Strauss allegedly abused hundreds of student-athletes. Multiple former wrestlers have claimed they raised concerns about Strauss’s conduct to coaching staff, including Jordan. While he is not a defendant in the lawsuit, plaintiffs’ attorneys argue that his testimony is key to understanding how complaints about Strauss were handled.
Jordan has repeatedly denied having any knowledge of abuse during his time at the university. A spokesperson reaffirmed that position, saying he “never saw or heard of any abuse” and would have acted if he had.
This deposition is part of broader legal efforts to hold Ohio State accountable. The university has already paid tens of millions in settlements to survivors. Advocates hope that testimony from figures like Jordan will shed further light on how the abuse was able to continue unchecked for years.
