As proof of such feverish theories, multiple members have noted that the law firm handling the abuse investigation for Ohio State has contracted with a Washington-based firm that previously did work for the Democratic Party on the infamous Steele dossier. (Don’t you see? It all goes back to Hillary!) Following Republicans down that rabbit hole leads only to madness.

Since first denying that he ever had an inkling of any abuse, the congressman has felt moved to draw a distinction between specific reports of misconduct and bawdy chatter. “Conversations in the locker room are a lot different than someone coming up to you and saying there was some kind of abuse,” he explained to Fox News viewers.

While the old “locker room defense” is straight out of the Trump playbook, Mr. Jordan’s meticulous parsing should give other Republicans pause.

The congressman clearly fancies himself a fearless crusader willing to stand up to power. But what we have seen of him in the Trump era paints a different picture, of a man absolutely willing to look the other way when things around the workplace get weird and icky.

During the dark days of the “Access Hollywood” tape, as many Republican officeholders were distancing themselves from the nominee, Mr. Jordan made clear that, while he found such vulgar talk unacceptable, he nonetheless would stand by his man.

And stand by Mr. Trump he has, uttering not one critical peep as this president has engaged in such egregious acts as defending neo-Nazis and separating migrant children from their parents. (Even many of Mr. Trump’s most obsequious apologists choked on that one.) As for Mr. Trump’s habitual lying, Mr. Jordan has not simply averted his gaze; he has publicly claimed — even when confronted with specific examples — never to have heard Mr. Trump utter a falsehood. Never. Not once.