COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan’s office said records released Thursday show lawyers’ attempts to schedule an interview with him as part of an Ohio State University sex abuse investigation were sent to a non-existent email address.
Jordan’s spokesman said the Republican congressman is now working with investigators to set up a meeting.
The email address glitch appeared to clear up contradictory statements by Jordan’s office and Porter Wright, the law firm leading Ohio State’s investigation into Dr. Richard Strauss.
Kathleen Trafford, of Porter Wright in Columbus, said earlier this week that an investigative legal team looking into the allegations against Strauss had contacted Jordan’s office by phone and email requesting an interview. Jordan’s office initially said it had not been contacted by investigators.
Emails released by Porter Wright on Thursday showed that lawyers at Seattle-based Perkins Coie emailed Jordan directly but inaccurately on May 14 requesting an interview and sent a follow-up email on May 24.
Jordan spokesman Ian Fury said the email address jim.jordan@mail.house.gov is “non-existent” and does not appear to generate a bounceback error message to those who use it outside the House firewall.
Trafford said Perkins Coie followed up on the May emails with a June 12 phone call that Jordan appears also not to have received.
Fury said, “We have no record of a call.”
The contradictory statements about Jordan’s interactions with investigators came amid mounting pressure on the powerful House conservative over Strauss, who was accused of groping male athletes and killed himself in 2005. Jordan was assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State when Strauss was the team doctor.
Two former university wrestlers said Jordan was not being truthful when asserting he was unaware of allegations that Strauss was abusing athletes. Jordan has repeatedly denied those assertions by ex-wrestlers Mike DiSabato and Dunyasha Yetts.
President Donald Trump said on Thursday, “I believe Jim 100 percent.”
“Jim Jordan is one of the most outstanding people I’ve met since I’ve been in Washington and I believe him 100 percent,” he said.
