Republicans in the House have stepped up their campaign to push President Joe Biden to secure the release of a former U.S. Marine who has been imprisoned in Russia for more than a year.
Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, and Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, last week introduced a resolution calling for the immediate release of Trevor Reed, a Texas native that was sentenced to nine years in prison after being convicted of assaulting a police officer in 2019.
Reed and his legal team claim that he did not commit the crime and was given a “show trial,” according to Reed’s parents, Joey and Paula Reed, who spoke to the Washington Free Beacon.
The Reeds told the Free Beacon their son has suffered from mistreatment while in prison, saying that Russian authorities delayed medical examinations and would not provide food or water for days on end.
"He's had some medical issues, the embassy has had to fight to get him any kind of treatment. If you need a Motrin it will take you a week for them to get it," Joey Reed said. "It has been a very difficult year and a half."
"Trevor Reed is an Eagle Scout, a Texan, and most importantly a U.S. Marine veteran, who the Russian government is clearly using as a political pawn," Pfluger told the Free Beacon. "The trumped-up charges against him were so ludicrous that laughter even erupted in the courtroom. I will not stand for my constituent being held in a Russian jail for crimes he did not commit. I call on President [Vladimir] Putin to release Trevor and reunite him with his family."
"Trevor’s wrongful imprisonment in Russia has gone on far too long. I have met with Trevor’s family and know that he is a great American and former Marine who served his country proudly," McCaul added. "I strongly urge the Biden administration to use all the tools available to bring Trevor home to his family as soon as possible."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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