Scalise defends Jordan amid sex abuse scandal

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise on Monday released a statement backing Rep. Jim Jordan against accusations that he turned a blind eye to sexual abuse decades ago.

The Louisiana Republican may be the first person leadership to publicly back Jordan (R-Ohio), who has for ages been a thorn in GOP leadership’s side as leader of the House Freedom Caucus.

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“I have always known Jim Jordan to be truthful, for confident he would get up for his athletes, much like he’s always stood up for what’s right,” Scalise said during the statement. “I’m glad that Jim is focused on utilizing the investigators to see that the full truth comes out and justice is served.”

Several former Ohio State University wrestlers have described rampant sexual abuse by way of the team physician after a span that included Jordan’s stint just as one assistant coach for your team from the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Scalise’s statement comes as lawmakers speculate about who is going to replace retiring Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). Our next speaker will undoubtedly need the support with the Freedom Caucus, and both Scalise and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Ryan’s No. 2, are courting the target audience.

Scalise states he may not run against McCarthy.

Scalise once faced an equivalent politically precarious situation. In the past, reports surfaced that he’d given an address to a white supremacy group while serving inside Louisiana Statehouse. Scalise maintained which he weren’t sure the mission with the group because he delivered a delivery about fiscal policy.

Scalise was helped when GOP leaders backed him, saying he’s never held any racist views.

Now Scalise is lending support to Jordan, who has been a helper wrestling coach at Ohio State for eight years each time when wrestlers said we were holding being sexually abused because of the team doctor. Jordan has stated he would never know anything about allegations which the doctor groped his male athletes, even though of his former wrestlers have suggested he did.