
Rep. Lauren Boebert arrives for a House Republicans caucus meeting on Capitol Hill, on Oct. 12, 2023, in Washington. | Mark Schiefelbein/AP
Jim Jordan, a firebrand Republican Congressman from Ohio, has become the GOP’s nominee for Speaker in the House of Representatives. Jordan has been a staunch critic of Democratic administrations and is well-known for his aggressive approach to politics. Here’s a closer look at his background and political career.
Jim Jordan, a native of Troy, Ohio, has spent most of his adult life in politics. He started as an Ohio state representative in 1995 after graduating from the University of Wisconsin and receiving his law degree from Capital University Law School in Ohio in 2001.
Jordan became a U.S. Representative in 2007 during former President George W. Bush’s second term.
He played a pivotal role in the House Freedom Caucus, a conservative group of lawmakers, and served as its first chairman from 2015 to 2017. Under his leadership, the caucus pushed for a “motion to vacate the chair” against then-Speaker John Boehner, which ultimately led to Boehner’s resignation in 2015.
During the Trump years, Jordan was one of the former President’s most ardent supporters in the House. He vehemently criticized investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election and sought to prevent the impeachment inquiry related to Trump’s call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Jordan also endorsed challenges to the 2020 election results, joining more than 100 House Republicans in supporting a lawsuit that sought to challenge the election outcome. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case.
Jordan is currently the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and one of its subcommittees, the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. In these roles, he has launched hearings and issued subpoenas to uncover information about the business dealings of the Biden family, with a particular focus on Hunter Biden.
One controversy that has resurfaced during Jordan’s bid for the speakership relates to his time as a wrestling coach at The Ohio State University before entering politics. Allegations emerged that Jordan was aware of abuse allegations against a now-deceased team doctor who allegedly abused athletes, including wrestlers. Jordan has consistently denied any knowledge of the abuse, and he has never been accused of sexual misconduct. An independent investigation in 2019 alleged that the doctor abused at least 177 students, including 48 wrestlers, and described his behavior as an “open secret” within the athletics department.
Jim Jordan’s nomination as the GOP’s Speaker candidate adds another layer of intrigue to the ongoing political landscape in the United States.
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