Jim Jordan, the Ohio congressman who has confirmed his candidacy for Speaker of the Home, is a distinguished movie star on the far proper of American politics — and a magnet for controversy, as soon as described by a former spokesman from his social gathering as a “political terrorist.”
The complete extent of Jordan’s involvement in Donald Trump’s try to overturn the 2020 election, which led to the lethal assault on Congress, stays unknown.
Jordan, 59, can be going through questions in regards to the sexual assault scandal at Ohio State College, the place he was a wrestling coach earlier than getting into politics.
Former Speaker John Boehner, additionally of Ohio, has referred to Jordan as a “political terrorist,” solely in damaging motion moderately than legislative achievement.
Within the final Congress, when Democrats gained management of the gavel, Jordan refused to cooperate with the Home January 6 Committee, regardless of receiving a subpoena.
His involvement in Trump’s machinations has been broadly reported. It’s recognized, for instance, that he has I spoke with the then president On the morning of the riot.
Of their e book, “Solely I Can Repair It: The Disastrous Remaining Yr of Donald J. Trump,” Washington Submit reporters Philip Rucker and Carol Leunig report on a startling dialog that befell the day after the riot, on January 7, 2021.
In response to Rucker and Leunig, Liz Cheney, then a Republican congresswoman from Wyoming and a future vice chair of the January 6 Committee, spoke with Gen. Mark Milley, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Workers.
“That damned Jim Jordan man,” Cheney stated. ‘This son of a bitch. Whereas these crazies have been going by the place, I used to be standing within the aisle and he stated, ‘We have to get the women out of the aisle.’ Let me enable you.’
“So I hit his hand and stated, ‘Get away from me. You probably did this ridiculous factor.
Jordan was a distinguished supporter of Trump’s lie about election fraud. Efforts on Trump’s behalf included talking at a “Cease the Steal” rally in Pennsylvania two days after Election Day; Attending White Home conferences the place technique was mentioned; showing on Fox Information to advertise such efforts; On the identical morning of January 6, he spoke within the Home of Representatives to object to Arizona’s outcomes.
5 days after the Capitol assault, Trump awarded Jordan the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The sexual assault scandal in Ohio additionally continues.
From 1987 to 1995, Jordan was an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State College. Former athletes have He said He turned a blind eye to abuse dedicated by physician Richard Strauss, which, in line with an official report, was broadly considered as a “crime.”Open secret“.
“If Jordan says he did not find out about it, he is mendacity,” stated former Ohio State College wrestler Donyasha Yates.
Jordan denies the cover-up. He additionally refused to cooperate with the official investigation.
Taking on as speaker would mark the top of a congressional profession that started in 2006 and included main the highly effective Judiciary Committee and serving as the primary chairman of the hard-right Home Freedom Caucus.
In 2021, Boehner He told CBS“I’ve by no means seen a person who spent extra time tearing issues aside—by no means constructing something, by no means placing something collectively.”
For Jordan, taking over the speakership would additionally invite uncomfortable point out of Dennis Hastert.
Hastert, of Illinois, is the longest-serving Republican speaker, holding the place from 1999 to 2007.
Nonetheless, after leaving politics, he turned embroiled in scandal, ultimately admitting to sexually assaulting two youngsters whereas he was a wrestling coach, after which paying his accusers to stay silent. He was Convicted As much as 15 months in jail.
