Paul Whelan’s Family ‘Crushed’ Over Biden’s Call to Brittney Griner’s Wife
The former U.S. Marine has been detained in Russia for over three years.
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The family of Paul Whelan says they are “astonished” that President Joe Biden took the time to call the wife of WNBA star Brittney Griner but has not made a similar call to them. Former U.S. Marine Whelan has been detained in Russia since December 2018, while Griner was arrested in Moscow in February this year. Whelan’s family has made several unsuccessful requests to meet with Biden to discuss their loved one’s case. “We are astonished at this development and feel badly for our elderly parents, and in particular for Paul,” Elizabeth Whelan, Paul’s sister, told The Detroit News on Wednesday. “Does this mean he is going to be left behind yet again?” she said, apparently referring to a prisoner swap earlier in 2022 in which Trevor Reed, another former Marine detained in Russia, was released, while Whelan remained incarcerated. Responding to a press release about Biden’s call with Cherelle Griner, Elizabeth tweeted Wednesday: “I am crushed.”
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
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