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Paul Ryan views allegations against Rep. Jim Jordan as 'serious,' will wait for probe, aide says

Rep. Jim Jordan has been floated as a possible replacement for House Speaker Paul Ryan, who is retiring this year .

WASHINGTON – House Speaker Paul Ryan weighed in Friday on accusations that Republican Rep. Jim Jordan ignored allegations of sexual abuse while he was an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State University decades ago.

Through a spokesman, Ryan said the university was right to investigate the claims and that he would await the outcome of the probe.

"These are serious allegations and issues," Ryan spokesman Doug Andres said in an emailed statement.

"The university has rightfully initiated a full investigation into the matter. The speaker will await the findings of that inquiry," Andres said.

Jordan, R-Ohio, a powerful House conservative, faces allegations from multiple former wrestlers that he knew about sexual abuse by the team doctor, but did not report or try to stop the misconduct. Jordan worked as an assistant wrestling coach in the 1980s to the mid-1990s. He was elected to Congress in 2006.

Jordan has been floated as a possible replacement for Ryan, who is retiring this year .

In April, Ohio State opened an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct against Dr. Richard Strauss, who treated student athletes there from the mid-1970s to the late 1990s. Strauss died in 2005.

Jordan has denied allegations he knew of the abuse and said if he had known, he would have reported it.

President Donald Trump told reporters Thursday he believes Jordan "100 percent.” Jordan is close to the president and has been one of his key allies in Congress.

Rep. Mark Meadows, who heads the conservative Freedom Caucus that Jordan co-founded, told USA TODAY he was confident the investigation would confirm what Jordan had said.

“I have always known Jim Jordan to be a man of the utmost character, honor, and integrity," Meadows said. "I’m proud to stand by Jim Jordan and support him 100 percent and call on all of my colleagues to do the same.”

“I know Jim and Jim has said ... this is a complete fabrication and that’s good enough for me," Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., another Freedom Caucus member, told USA TODAY. “I’m all in for Jim.”

Jordan and his allies have raised questions about the account of Mike DiSabato, one of the first ex-wrestlers to come forward. DiSabato told USA TODAY on Tuesday that Strauss was a "serial groper" and that "everyone knew, including Jim."

NBC News first reported the accusations against Jordan. Since the NBC story was published a half dozen former wrestlers have come forward to USA TODAY and other outlets to say that it would be nearly impossible for Jordan not to have known of the abuse.

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