Washington (CNN) House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that Rep. Jim Jordan had a "duty to protect" the Ohio State wrestlers who have alleged sexual abuse by the team's doctor.

"Jim Jordan had a duty to protect them," she said in her first comments about the scandal. "They said he failed. They, the people who are accusing, said he failed. Rather than deny and dismiss them, he should fully cooperate with the investigation."

When asked by CNN whether Congress will hold its own investigation, the California Democrat responded, "At some point -- we'll just see how this goes forward."

"He is someone who has always said about everybody, 'Oh, my gosh, look at his record, so and so should have known this, so and so should have known that.' Well, many people say he did know and by his own standard, he should have known."

Pelosi called the allegations "heartbreaking" and "devastating."

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