It appears that American basketball player Brittney Griner has pleaded guilty to drug-related charges in Russia. Democrats have implored Joe Biden to get Griner out of the Russian prison and back into the United States.
It’s unclear to us if the president isn’t interested in helping or simply has no options at his disposal. Some may speculate as to whether or not former President Donald Trump would have been able to secure such a transaction, even despite the fact that Griner voted for Biden, and included that information in a letter to him.
It’s hard to believe that an American president would try harder to get someone out of a Russian jail because they voted for him or her, but in this case, Griner is hoping that helps apparently. KHOU 11 News Houston reports:
“BREAKING: WNBA star Brittney Griner pleads guilty to drug possession, smuggling charges in Russia trial, according to Russian media. Full story coming shortly.”
BREAKING: WNBA star Brittney Griner pleads guilty to drug possession, smuggling charges in Russia trial, according to Russian media.
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) July 7, 2022
Full story coming shortly.
“Reverend” Al Sharpton says he plans on going to Russia to help advocate on Griner’s behalf, utilizing his Reverend status to do what he can. We reported more on that yesterday as you can read here:
This Griner news is a breaking development and may be updated with more information and details as time passes. The sister of a former U.S. Marine who has been trying to get her brother out of Russia for years is unhappy that Biden appears to be signaling more about Griner than her brother:
“Still looking for that press release saying @POTUS has spoken to anyone in OUR family about #PaulWhelan, wrongfully detained in #Russia for 3.5 years. I am crushed. If he wants to talk about securing Paul’s release, he needs to be talking to the Whelans! What are we to think?!”
Still looking for that press release saying @POTUS has spoken to anyone in OUR family about #PaulWhelan, wrongfully detained in #Russia for 3.5 years.
— elizabethwhelan (@elizabethwhelan) July 6, 2022
I am crushed. If he wants to talk about securing Paul’s release, he needs to be talking to the Whelans! What are we to think?! https://t.co/jTirLwAHyF
More detail on that from The Hill in part:
Her tweet follows a call from Biden and Vice President Harris to Cherelle Griner. The White House said Biden and Harris assured Cherelle Griner that they are providing “all possible assistance” to bring home Brittney Griner, who has been in detention in Russia since February.
Biden’s call to Cherelle Griner came after she told CBS it was “very disheartening” not to have heard from the president directly. Brittney Griner also wrote a letter to Biden urging him not to “forget about me and the other American detainees.”
“I don’t begrudge Ms. Griner and her supporters their success in getting the president’s attention while he ignores so many other families,” Paul Whelan’s twin brother, David Whelan, said of Cherelle Griner’s interview, according to The Detroit News.
Fox News has reported Griner could face up to 10 years in jail.
“I’d like to plead guilty, your honor. But there was no intent. I didn’t want to break the law,” she said in court, via Reuters.
“I’d like to give my testimony later. I need time to prepare,” she added.
2 Comments