#shorts On 12/8/2022, a reporter asked White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, “And I know you said the President doesn’t take it lightly; he weighed it very carefully. But we are talking about a man who, when he was sentenced to 25 years, Preet Bharara — who at the time was the top federal prosecutor in New York — said that this was someone who had conspired to sell AK-47s that he knew would have been used to kill Americans — American drug agents. Law enforcement officials may not be happy with his release. What’s the President’s message to them and to others who say, essentially, that this was a bad deal, that this is a terrible man who has not fully paid his debt?”
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, negotiations for release of wrongful detainees are often very difficult — that’s just a reality — in part because of the price that must be paid to bring Americans home to their loved ones and in part because of immediate results can feel unfair or arbitrary — right? — to your point.”
Joe Biden announced he traded the world’s most wanted Russian Viktor Bout for Brittney Griner. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre defended Biden’s decision to swap Brittney Griner. Meanwhile, Paul Whelan, a former Marine who is now 52, is still imprisoned in Russia. Whelan was arrested in Russia in 2018 and accused of spying. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Karine Jean-Pierre defended Biden and said Brittney Griner is an important role model for the queer community and women of color, “The choice was bring Brittney home or no one,” Karine Jean-Pierre said. “The president will never stop working to secure Paul Whelan’s release. On a personal note, Brittney is an important role model, an inspiration to millions of Americans particularly the LGBTQI+ Americans and women of color,” KJP said. Jean-Pierre added that the Kremlin was “not willing to negotiate in good faith” to release Whelan, who Russia convicted of spying, and side-stepped questions about Fogel — who, like Griner, was sentenced to prison this year for possessing a small amount of marijuana.
other clips of this published longer video is here: https://youtu.be/0QWg_-kLXhQ
Terrible man: KJP Defends Releasing Violent Russian Arms Dealer By Saying Negotiations Are “Very Difficult”