To the Editor:

It’s unfathomable even for Democrats to witness the chaos of the Republican House. The Freedom Caucus (“FC”) is disemboweling that august body at a time when the world is in the greatest danger since the Berlin Wall fell. No legislation has passed, not the remotest concern for Americans and their need for Congress to act has been shown, and no progress has been attempted by the GOP on the 2024 Budget because it will accept no compromise. On anything.
The appalling nomination of Gym Jordan as Speaker, second in line to the presidency, is a grim statement of what many House Republicans think is the best they can do. The late Michael Gerson, an evangelical Christian, lifelong Republican, and onetime chief speechwriter for former President George W. Bush, described Jordan as the “truly Trumpian Man, guided by bigotry, seized by conspiracy theories, dismissive of facts and truth, indifferent to ethics, contemptuous of institutional norms and ruthlessly dedicated to the success of a demagogue.” And that’s just his life as a “legislator.”

Gym’s increasing notoriety has resurfaced allegations that, when he was an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State, he knew and didn’t report the epic sexual abuses of team doctor Richard Strauss, “to include 1,429 sexual assaults and 47 rapes of student patients during Strauss’ time at the school (1978 to 1998) prior to his suicide in 2005.” Jordan has denied the accusations, but five people, four former wrestlers and one longtime friend, have said that Jordan “had to have known,” and was “directly informed” by at least one athlete.

The final report of the January 6 House Select Committee concluded that, “Jim Jordan was more involved than any congressman in the January 6 conspiracy with Donald Trump as he attempted to overturn the election.”

In 2021, former House Speaker John Boehner was asked to name one of the “political terrorists,” legislators who get lots of attention despite having no significant accomplishments. “Jim Jordan especially,” replied Boehner. ”I just never saw a guy who spent more time tearing things apart ― never building anything, never putting anything together.”
Jordan is reportedly threatening Republicans who refuse to vote for him, and as of this writing, it appears to be expected. If he attains the Speakership, this is who the Republican House holds as the best they have to offer, and will be their leader toward their vision for America’s immediate future.

Kelly Scoles,
Fillmore, Ca.