Jim Jordan blames political rivals for Ohio State sex allegations

In this Thursday, July 12, 2018, photo, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, questions FBI Deputy Assistant Director Peter Strzok during the House Committees on the Judiciary and Oversight and Government Reform hearing on “Oversight of FBI and DOJ Actions Surrounding the 2016 Election,” on Capitol Hill in Washington. Jordan, who coached wrestling at Ohio State University, has been interviewed by the law firm investigating allegations that a now-dead team doctor sexually abused male athletes there decades ago. Jordan’s spokesman says the congressman spoke Monday, July 16, 2018, with the firm looking into allegations against Dr. Richard Strauss and how the school responded to any complaints about Strauss. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

In this Thursday, July 12, 2018, photo, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, questions FBI Deputy Assistant Director Peter Strzok during the House Committees on the Judiciary and Oversight and Government Reform hearing on “Oversight of FBI and DOJ Actions Surrounding the 2016 Election,” on Capitol Hill in Washington. Jordan, who coached wrestling at Ohio State University, has been interviewed by the law firm investigating allegations that a now-dead team doctor sexually abused male athletes there decades ago. Jordan’s spokesman says the congressman spoke Monday, July 16, 2018, with the firm looking into allegations against Dr. Richard Strauss and how the school responded to any complaints about Strauss. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

WASHINGTON — Rep. Jim Jordan suggested those on the left “choreographed” accusations that as an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State he ignored warnings from wrestlers that a team doctor engaged in inappropriate behavior with them.

During an interview Thursday with Fox News, Jordan, R-Urbana, said he found it “suspect” the charges have emerged this summer as he and Republicans are threatening to impeach Deputy U.S. Attorney General Rod Rosenstein for what they claim is his unwillingness to provide Congress with documents related to the FBI’s investigation into Democratic presidential Hillary Clinton’s e-mails.

RELATED: Report: 5 former OSU wrestlers say Jordan aware of team doctor’s alleged sex abuse

Rosenstein last year tapped Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate accusations that Russian intelligence officials interfered with the election in a way to help Trump win.

“I mean, jeepers, the way it seemed to me was sequenced and choreographed” by some on the left, Jordan said. “I find all that suspect.”

RELATED: Former Ohio State wrestlers defend Jim Jordan

“I guess I like to think that the reason you see the left coming after me and lies being told is because we’re being effective in doing what we told the American people we were doing,” Jordan said. “I also think it has something to do with the fact that President Trump is doing a great job, and we are trying to support him and help him make America great again.”

Jordan has raised the argument previously that he is a victim of a vendetta by liberals in the wrestling scandal. He has not provided any evidence to back that claim.

MORE: Rep. Jim Jordan interviewed in doctor sex abuse inquiry

More than a half-dozen former wrestlers at Ohio State have said that Jordan, who served as an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State University in the late 1980s and early 1990s when Richard Strauss worked there as a team physician, knew of inappropriate behavior by Strauss but did not report it.

Attorneys for Ohio State on Monday interviewed Jordan, who said “the interview was fine. We’re not allowed to get into details in what was talked about. They are doing an investigation for the university.”

“I knew of no abuse,” Jordan said. “Never heard of it. Never had any reported to me. If I had, I would have dealt with it. Every single coach has said the same thing I have. All kinds of wrestlers have said the same thing I have. And the reason they have all said that it is because is the truth.”

Jessica Wehrman of the Washington Bureau contributed to this story.

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