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On Dec. 8, Americans were awakened to the news that the Biden administration had negotiated a prisoner exchange of WNBA player Britney Griner for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, widely known as the “Merchant of Death.”
At the launch event, President Joe Biden vowed that another American has not forgotten former Marine Paul Whelan, who is being held by the Russians. claimed not to give up.
But there was another American prisoner’s name the president couldn’t even mention: Mark Vogel.
Russian arms dealer traded for Britney Greiner praises Ukrainian aggression, wants to join the fight
Vogel was a history teacher in the Pittsburgh area who lived and worked just outside the congressional district I represent. In August 2021, he was detained at Sheremetyevo Airport and prescribed small doses of medical marijuana for his chronic back pain. Similar to the Griner situation. Less than a year later, Vogel was sentenced to 14 years of hard labor in a Russian prison. This is usually the punishment for large drug smugglers. Since then he has been in custody.
On August 4, 2022, in Khimki, a suburb of Moscow, Russia, WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Britney Griner was escorted out of court after a hearing. arms merchant.
(AP Photo/Alexander Zemlyanichenko, File)
This is where last week’s prison exchange raised eyebrows.
In Griner’s case, the United States designated her “wrongfully detained” less than three months after her arrest. to Vogel? He has never been classified as “wrongfully detained” under federal law, despite meeting at least six of her 11 established criteria. neither.
Alongside my colleagues in Congress, I have been persistent in advocating this designation to the State Department and the White House, with limited response and approval. been ignored.
When Griner’s situation came to prominence, Biden spoke with her family in the Oval Office. Conversely, Vogel’s family suffers from not even getting a call back from the State Department regarding his arrest and release campaign.
Why was a celebrity like Britney Griner designated so urgently and so quickly, yet history teacher Mark Vogel is still waiting 16 months for his classification?
At a time when the Biden administration places so much emphasis on race, sexuality, and awakening, it is very hard to imagine the White House giving preferential treatment to American prisoners held by foreign enemies if they subscribe to the administration’s favored ideology. I’m worried about
This scenario of the problem cannot be overlooked. In our country, we have seen Biden and the Democrats pick winners and losers based on this criterion time and time again.
Because of these pressing issues, Congress must investigate the negotiation process that took place to bring Griner home, but left Vogel and Whelan in Russia. Swapping only merchants and celebrity basketball players requires rigorous scrutiny, especially given the dire circumstances of Vogel and Whelan.
Mark Fogel and wife Jane
(Photo courtesy of Ellen Kieran and Lisa Hyland)
Following this recent swap, the US is now heavily constrained at the negotiating table. As far as I know, he doesn’t have a single death merchant waiting to be traded in prison. Now the Biden administration is back to square one. There are few, if any, high-value assets to offer Russia in return.
This is not only tragic, it is also maddening.
If Vogel had the same media attention as Griner, would he have been included in her replacement?
If Vogel had qualified as a celebrity for the Biden administration, would he be resting at home with his wife and family?
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If Vogel had checked one of the left’s treasured crossing boxes, would his name have come out of Biden’s mouth as he celebrated Griner’s release?
These questions must be answered. When Republicans regain control of the House in January, we need to examine the deliberative process and decisions made to secure the replacement of Griner without including Vogel and Whelan. All other parties must preserve the documents for further Congressional oversight.
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Sadly, this disastrous deal appears to be a failed Biden administration foreign policy decision on the terms of Russian President Vladimir Putin. In addition, Griner’s unfair trade and preferential treatment put minority and LGBT people at greater risk of being unlawfully detained in hostile countries.
Find out the truth about this disaster and do whatever it takes to bring Vogel and Whelan home. Until we do, I will continue to advocate their release – and make sure Mark Fogel’s name never goes unnoticed again.
