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A cesspool of deviancy: New claims of voyeurism test Jordan denials
A half-dozen former wrestlers at Ohio State, where GOP Rep. Jim Jordan once coached, said they were regularly harassed by men in their training facility.
By RACHAEL BADE and JOHN BRESNAHAN
07/06/2018 05:32 PM EDT
New allegations in the Ohio State University sexual abuse scandal are threatening to intensify the political firestorm facing its onetime assistant wrestling coach, powerful GOP Rep. Jim Jordan.
A half-dozen ex-wrestlers told POLITICO they were regularly harassed in their training facility by sexually aggressive men who attended the university or worked there. The voyeurs would masturbate while watching the wrestlers shower or sit in the sauna, or engage in sexual acts in the areas where the athletes trained, the former wrestlers said.
Larkins Hall, the building that housed athletic teams, became such a well-known target that people who frequented it at the time have reminisced in anonymous postings online how easy it was to ogle naked members of the wrestling team.
The situation was so egregious that former wrestling head coach Russ Hellickson would at times have to physically drag the gawkers out of the building, several sources familiar with his actions at the time said. Hellickson also pleaded with the university multiple times to move their athletes to a private facility, the sources said. Jordan served as Hellicksons No. 2, and the coach has been described as Jordans mentor.
The accusations could exacerbate Jordans troubles. He was the wrestling teams assistant coach from 1986 to 1994 and has adamantly denied knowledge of any sexual abuse.
I never knew about any type of abuse, Jordan said in an interview this week. If I did, I would have done something about it.
more...
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/07/06/jim-jordan-harassment-ohio-state-wrestling-699192
gibraltar72
(7,486 posts)nolabear
(41,915 posts)EricJohnson
(90 posts)Leghorn21
(13,520 posts)Oh, hey coach Hellickson, a whasssuup for you, as well:
.....In the video, former head wrestling coach Russ Hellickson, who arrived at Ohio State in 1986, doesn't specify whether athletes came to him with allegations of abuse, but says he talked to the doctor about physical contact with the wrestlers.
"I told him one time, I said, 'Doctor you're much too hands on,' and he just said, 'Oh, I'm being thorough,' " Hellickson said.
Hellickson also says in the video that the doctor would often shower at the same time as the wrestlers, making them uncomfortable.
It's not known whether Hellickson passed on his concerns to his superiors. CNN has been unsuccessful in multiple attempts to obtain comment from Hellickson.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/05/us/ohio-state-sexual-abuse-allegations-video/index.html
This story is burgeoning, ladies and germs!!
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)One question. Why wrestlers? A lot of football players are more ripped, as are basketball and volleyball players. Was there something about Jordan or the head coach that caused wrestlers to be targeted more?
Leghorn21
(13,520 posts)The Perkins Coie law firm, which is overseeing the probe for the university, has interviewed more than 150 former students and witnesses so far, OSU officials said. Former athletes from 14 Ohio State sports have reported abuse by Strauss, the university said.
Stay tuned
mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)'Roll around with other guys dressed in tights' (Bender, The Breakfast Club) as their 'sport'?
Not saying I believe that (nor would care in the least if every wrestler on earth was gay) but perhaps those that took part in this believed that to be true. OR they were all part of Strauss's circle and he let them know they could come down and get their Jolly's at the wrestlers expense but he didn't have the 'juice' to pull that off with the Football & Basketball teams. Which makes you wonder about Hellickson's and Jordan's leadership, as you suggested.
babylonsister
(170,963 posts)and went to a lot of meets in high school, and liked them.
It has weight divisions so everyone gets a fair shake.
Hekate
(90,202 posts)As for the putative paper trail, what the administrators didn't want to know probably did not generate a paper trail.
There's a recently-former gynecologist from University of Southern California student health center who is going to cost that institution millions and millions of dollars. Complaints were made, some of them quite vigorous. Yet that SOB continued for nearly 30 years. For the unfolding of the lurid details, see this year's Los Angeles Times.
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)Some people actively seek positions of power, when they get there, they should do their damned jobs. Looking the other way won't ever work anymore, and "I didn't know won't be accepted as an excuse".
Hekate
(90,202 posts)In addition to being young and naive and not knowing what to expect from an exam like the American girls, the Chinese girls also had the burden of language and cultural differences. To say that their parents and government are not pleased is an understatement.
Let's just say this SOB's office visits were extra-thorough with a side order of comments. Never mind -- details in newspaper.
rusty fender
(3,428 posts)Statement in the article
malaise
(267,827 posts)Can't wait for the whole truth - bye bye Jimbo - give Denny -a call.
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)Something is off about that kettle of fish.
malaise
(267,827 posts)Truth will out.
HipChick
(25,485 posts)seems like Jimbo is toast...
malaise
(267,827 posts)Are you watching Beryl?
Dominica doesn't need another storm...period.
JDC
(10,084 posts)HipChick
(25,485 posts)Squinch
(50,774 posts)will see this as an offense that demands that Jordan steps down. I'm talking about both republican officials and voters.
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)I want this to stink him up to high heaven through Election Day. He is in a very red district, but if 25% of the red voters are too disgusted with him to vote or vote for him, he loses. If he resigns, republicans can replace him in a red district, that might not work to our advantage.
mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)Are 'the gays' trying to 'indoctrinate our young people'.
Kajun Gal
(1,907 posts)Blue_true
(31,261 posts)Why were the wrestler kids targeted so heavily, they aren't the most ripped jocks, football and basketball players more likely were. Also, did the pedo problem start happening after Jordan and the head coach arrived in 1986, or had it been going on earlier? There are just so many unanswered questions.
Horse with no Name
(33,956 posts)As that is always the case in molestation.
Maybe the football coach wouldnt allow it?
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)Actual pedo's are generally not attracted to kids past puberty. And even if some are, we don't have evidence these offenders were into children, just young men. Unless we find out the behavior extended to people < 18, the issue here is not really these guys age, it's the unwanted groping, and it sounds like we can add illegal voyeurism and sexual exhibition in the locker room as well to the charges.
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)But yeah, by college most people are adults. But even then, someone that young doesn't know when something inappropriate is done, it is easy to think that it was caution.
As I read about the wrestlers, something that happened to my in my early 20s keeps filtering through my mind. I was getting a physical exam from a male doctor and was given a rectal exam, I didn't think anything of it at the time and even now I don't know whether that is normal for a very young, healthy person who had no history of problems that would warrant such an exam. Eventhough they were adults, I can see some of the wrestlers not making much of the incidents until years later - coincidentally, that could have been Jordan's out if he hadn't chosen to lie - he could have just said that he was told and did not have proper appreciation that something wrong was happening. But in Jordan's case, my mind keeps saying there is more to his role that he is afraid will come out.
mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)Esp. now that it's come out that the Coach himself was well aware of what was going on ... Jordan had an 'out' with that, saying he deferred to his boss, the Coach, to handle the situation. It was at least a viable 'excuse' for his 'failure of duty to report', and as you say he could've said since the Coach was aware, he assumed this was just 'how things were'.
To US, that wouldn't let him off the hook, but to the public overall it'd have been a lot less egregious than outright lying from the git-go and getting caught at that. Because that makes you look guilty/complicit.
MontanaMama
(23,242 posts)or even a little older. Respectfully, its the imbalance of power that sets these young people up for abuse by these pervs. Maybe some of them were on scholarship and dont want to jeopardize that by rocking the boat. Most are probably away from home for the first time making them more vulnerable. Maybe some were coerced or threatened. This whole thing stinks to night heaven. My 13 year old son pointed out that this may not be taken as seriously as similar situations involving women and girls. I really hope thats not the case.
mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)I do disagree with the characterization of 'pedophilia' ... when the victims were not children.
Doesn't mean they weren't victims, and coerced/taken advantage of ... I'd just prefer 'accuracy' in terminology. I like when our side is 'in the right' without resorting to hyperbole, as the other side so often does. I consider that a type of lying ... Just a personal 'tic' if you will.
Good night to you and yours.
MontanaMama
(23,242 posts)Thank you for clarifying.
Demsrule86
(68,352 posts)apparently refused.
bluestateboomer
(505 posts)Al had to resign for what amounted to a tasteless joke. This guy should be gone as well.
NCjack
(10,279 posts)and they will discover that Putin dug up the dirt on every Repuke in leadership positions, and he is blackmailing them all.
Crutchez_CuiBono
(7,725 posts)Crutchez_CuiBono
(7,725 posts)right on campus.
I'm sure Jim vaguely remembers it. Mr. Tough-guy cross examiner w Mr Rosenstein. He's going to regret that shit hard. He and Mr. Tussled suit Trey Gowdy. It will be a glorious day when we turn this shit show back around.
yortsed snacilbuper
(7,939 posts)Walter Scott
Demovictory9
(32,324 posts)Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)Arazi
(6,829 posts)Drip drip drip