Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. (Photo: Morgan Trau, WEWS.)
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost recently filed a motion on behalf of Ohio State University asking for 77 cases to be dropped the overdue Dr. (*77*) Strauss sexually abused Ohio State student-athletes.
Yost argues that any claims of harassment that occurred before Oct. 21, 1986 should be dismissed, he said in a lawsuit filed May 10 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
Congress passed a law on October 21, 1986, authorizing states and universities to be sued in federal court for failing to prevent student sexual abuse.
Yost’s motion applies to plaintiffs in three cases against the state of Ohio.
It argues that the 43 plaintiffs’ claims should be dismissed in full because the harassment occurred before October 21, 1986, and seeks partial dismissal of the 34 plaintiffs’ claims because the harassment occurred before October 21, 1986, according to the motion.
Strauss sexually abused at least 177 male victims Between 1979 and 1996, while he was a physician in Ohio State’s Department of Athletics and the Student Health Center, according to an independent investigation commissioned by Ohio State University.
Strauss retired from Ohio State University in 1998 and died by suicide in 2005, at the age of 67.
Earlier this month, 30 former Ohio State football players joined a federal lawsuit against Ohio State over Strauss’ molestation.
At least three players were part of the 1980 Rose Bowl team and played for coach Woody Hayes.
The state of Ohio has reached a settlement with 317 survivors for over $61 million– says the university. The most recent settlement involved 13 survivors for $1.8 million in April.
This request came several days after Yost announced his resignation from his position, effective June 7 take a job at Alliance Defending FreedomRight-wing Christian nonprofit law firm. The Southern Poverty Law Center defines the Alliance Defending Freedom as: hate group.
Ohio State Sen. Bill DeMora of Columbus criticized Yost’s motion to dismiss the claims.
“By walking out the door, he completely betrays the needs of victims of sexual abuse,” DeMora said in a statement. “This decision has nothing to do with the case against Ohio State and Dr. Strauss; it is solely Yost using every opportunity left to him to screw the people of Ohio and benefit the ultra-wealthy elite class he has always worked for.”
Strauss survivors said this Ohio Republican Jim Jordan knew about sexual abuse when he was Ohio State’s assistant wrestling coach from 1987 to 1995.
Jordan who recently ran unopposed in the May primary for the Fourth Congressional District seat and has repeatedly denied knowledge of any abuse.
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