Trevor Noah dissects GOP Rep. Jim Jordan's lame, puzzling 'locker room' defense against abuse complicity

Speaker of the House is one of the most powerful positions in the U.S. government, and Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) "is quitting in January because he wants to spend more time with his backwards-hat collection," Trevor Noah said on Wednesday's Daily Show. So House Republicans will need a new leader, "and while they have many options, there's one name that's getting more attention than most": Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). Before he announced his Sean Hannity–endorsed bid for speaker, Jordan was already in the news for trying to impeach Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein — and also for a scandal at his old workplace, Ohio State University.

When Jordan was an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State, Noah said, "we're just now learning that one of his trademark moves may have been enabling sexual abuse" by a university doctor. "Wow, turning a blind eye to rampant sexual abuse of the kids you're supposed to be protecting — I'm sorry, it doesn't get more scumbag than that," he said. "And if these allegations are true, then Jim Jordan is basically Joe Paterno Part 2. ... Obviously these are just allegations, but Congressman Jordan's defense doesn't sound very convincing."

So the wresters "told Jordan about the abuse, and he didn't think it counted because they were in a locker room?" Noah paraphrased. "What is it with these guys and locker rooms? It just feels like nothing you say matters in there. Like, you know what I feel like I'm gonna do? I'm just going to start carrying a locker room around with me. Then I can say whatever I want." Maybe House Republicans are standing behind Jordan because he's an upgrade from former GOP House Speaker Dennis Hastert, who later admitted to sexually abusing boys he was coaching in wrestling, Noah mused, suggesting Jordan adopt that as his campaign pitch. He even made an ad for Jordan to use. Watch below. Peter Weber

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