Brittney Griner, the WNBA star who was held for months in Russian prisons on drug charges, was released today in a one-for-one prisoner swap for international arms dealer Viktor Bout. The one-for-one exchange agreement negotiated with Moscow in recent weeks was given final approval by President Biden within just the last week, according to sources familiar with the deal, CBS reports. The swap took place in the United Arab Emirates.
To secure Griner’s release, the president ordered Bout – known as the “Merchant of Death” – to be freed and returned to Russia. Mr. Biden signed the commutation order cutting short Bout’s 25-year federal prison sentence.
Notably, the Griner-for-Bout exchange leaves retired U.S. Marine Paul Whelan imprisoned in Russia. Whelan has been in Russian custody for nearly four years. He was convicted on espionage charges that the U.S. has called false.
So our “woke” president arranges the release of a tattooed pot smoker, while leaving a retired U.S. marine behind!
Sounds like an equal deal. An evil terrorist for a snowflake
We trade a known, convicted, arms dealer for a washed-up center in the WNBA. Collectively, we have lost the national mind. Paul Whelan, a white guy, will languish is a Russian prison for years. Tinkerbell gets a free pass because of her status (pick a liberal adjective). Disgust and revulsion don’t quite do it for this deal. It’s not that she was freed, it’s what we paid to free her. Caveat Emptor don’t go into a foreign country with drugs, even prescription drugs, that you haven’t declared.
Prisoner #1.) A United States Hero. Retired U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, convicted on espionage charges that the U.S. has called false. — The Biden Administration let’s him rot in a Russian prison despite their claims that the espionage charges against him are completely fabricated.
Prisoner #2.) An athlete who hasn’t done anything the United States. WNBA basket ball player Brittney Griner was convicted of violating Russian law with possession of marijuana. She first lied and claimed she didn’t but then admitted it. She claimed she used it for medicinal purposes, she didn’t know Russian law didn’t allow it etc. etc. but the fact is she admitted it. Russia may have been politically motivated to pursue these charges but according to Russian law these were valid charges and they weren’t fabricated. — The Biden administration trades a notorious arms dealer to free this athlete who was arrested on valid charges after just a few months.
There is one other difference between former US marine Paul Whelan and athlete Brittney Griner. Whelan is white, Griner is a black toeivahnik and for liberals pursuing “equity” that gave the latter preference.
Biden screwed us.
Ridiculous. Making her into some type of American hero or patriot. She’s a criminal who got caught in a country that takes drug possession seriously. In return, we are giving up a hardened criminal who funded terrorism and killed Americans with his actions. This will only lead to more arrests and detentions abroad by our enemies.
a drug convict for someone Putin trusts with his personal arms. make it make sense
I’m not sure why you had to censor my comment, you pc snowflake idiots.
Bc it’s a communist cultlike editorialboard
2028 Georgia run-off: Democratic candidate Lebron James touts his tireless efforts in Griner’s release.
Sick is not the word