The evidence that Congressman Jim Jordan turned a blind eye in a sexual harassment scandal continues to accumulate, with eight former wrestlers saying that they told Jordan the team’s doctor was engaged in sexual abuse. Jordan allegedly acted on none of these complaints.

On Wednesday, Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz appeared on Fox News and offered this argument on behalf of his colleague:

The timing is very suspect. To me what is most suspicious is that right after Jim Jordan brought to the floor the question of the Department of Justice’s complete delay in turning over documents, it’s only then days after that when he elevates the contentiousness of that issue. I think there are people who have loose affiliation with a Deep State out to get Jim Jordan and this is the way they are manifesting their hatred for a man who is doing everything to fight for the regular folks in this country.

GOP Rep Says Purported Abuse Victims Tied to Deep State:



"They are people who have loose affiliation with a deep state out to get Jim Jordan and this is the way they are manifesting their hatred for a man who is doing everything to fight for the regular folks in this country." pic.twitter.com/uH5gOleSNK — Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) July 12, 2018

Jim Jordan is of course a strong supporter of President Donald Trump in the Russia investigation. Gaetz’s comments illustrate how the cause of Trump and Jordan are now tightly linked. Both men being presented by Republicans as alleged victims of the Deep State.

This is further evidence of the the ongoing Trumpification of the Republican Party. Trump has provided a model for how to fend off a scandal: cry “fake news” and blame the Deep State.

Jim Jordan and his supporters have learned that lesson well: