Hardline conservative US Rep. Jim Jordan to run for House speaker

[GMDino]

I'd say, given the accusations against him, he certainly will meet the moral high water marks of several past Republican Speakers.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/07/26/hardline-conservative-rep-jim-jordan-run-house-speaker/841600002/

Quote: Republican Rep. Jim Jordan said he plans to run for House speaker, a move that will spark a contentious leadership battle in the House GOP conference just a few months before the November election.


“We’re running," Jordan told USA TODAY on Thursday. "There’s a letter as we speak that’s being sent to our colleagues.”

Jordan is one of the most powerful conservatives in Congress; he co-founded the House Freedom Caucus, a faction of about 30 hardline Republicans who frequently clash with the House GOP leadership. 

Jordan’s decision spotlights the the long-simmering rift between hard-charging conservatives and GOP moderates.

Jordan's bid for the top leadership spot, to replace current speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, comes just one day after he and his conservative allies filed articles of impeachment against Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in an escalating battle with the Department of Justice over the agency's investigation into Russian meddling into the 2016 election.

Ryan is retiring at the end of this Congress. On Thursday, he said he supported the current frontrunner, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., though he conceded he would not have a vote in the leadership contest.

“I’m not going to be here,” Ryan said. “I support Kevin McCarthy.”

Jordan has come under scrutiny in recent weeks after several ex-wrestlers at Ohio State University accused him of knowingly ignoring sexual abuse allegations while Jordan was a wrestling coach at Ohio State University. 

Ohio State announced in April that it opening an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct against its former wrestling team physician, Dr. Richard Strauss. On July 20, the university announced that more than 100 former Ohio State students have come forward with sexual misconduct allegations against Strauss. 

More than a half-dozen former wrestlers allege Jordan knew about abuse from Strauss when he was an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State from 1987 to 1995.  Strauss, who served as the team's doctor from the mid-1970s to the late 1990s, died in 2005.

The Ohio Republican congressman has denied that he knew anything about the alleged abuse, and 15 wrestlers and six former coaches have come to his defense. However, Russ Hellickson, the head coach at the time who has defended Jordan, told USA TODAY he was aware Strauss made the athletes uncomfortable.

 

[*PhilHos*]

Are we sure we want another McCarthy in a leadership position in Washington?

[Belsnickel]

(07-26-2018, 02:51 PM)PhilHos Wrote: Are we sure we want another McCarthy in a leadership position in Washington?

The debate will be over having a McCarthy in name or a McCarthy in practice.

[*michaelsean*]

(07-26-2018, 02:48 PM)GMDino Wrote: I'd say, given the accusations against him, he certainly will meet the moral high water marks of several past Republican Speakers.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/07/26/hardline-conservative-rep-jim-jordan-run-house-speaker/841600002/


 

Remind me because I can't recall anything.  What was wrong with Ryan and Boehner morally?  Did they have affairs.

[*PhilHos*]

(07-26-2018, 04:21 PM)michaelsean Wrote: Remind me because I can't recall anything.  What was wrong with Ryan and Boehner morally?  Did they have affairs.

IIRC, Boehner was orange. I don't know if that means anything. 

[fredtoast]

Both parties are looking at fractures. Both parties are afraid to split because that would give the other party a big majority.

Only thing that will help is if some moderate Republicans get together with some moderate Democrats. But with the way House Districts are drawn up the extremist from both sides are going to get a lot of seats. When one party controls a district it is often the most extreme member of the party that wins.