Despite the news swirling around the nation concerning the indictment and arraignment of former President Donald Trump (R), Representative Cory Mills (R) has released a statement regarding Russia’s detainment of American reporter for the Wall Street Journal, Evan Gershkovich.
Gershkovich is the son of Russian (then Soviet) parents who fled Communist rule to live in New Jersey.
He now faces a prison sentence up to 20 years for espionage. According to the news outlet, this is the first time an espionage case has been brought to an overseas reporter since the Cold War.
Rep. Mills, who sits on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said that “Vladimir Putin is unfairly holding an American hostage to advance his anti-American agenda.”
“Like many others, I am calling for the Kremlin to immediately release Gershkovich for his wrongful imprisonment. Vladimir Putin is unfairly holding an American hostage to advance his anti-America agenda. Under this administration, our adversaries feel emboldened to act against our journalists,” stated Rep. Mills.
He would go on to mention that President Joe Biden’s (D) administration has been lackluster when it comes to hostage negotiations, especially with the Russian government.
“However, I’m also disappointed in the Biden administration’s handling of hostage situations. President Biden’s weak negotiations in securing Brittney Griner’s release emboldened Putin and his cronies to continue targeting Americans and has put every American still in Russia in harm’s way.”
The 31-year-old American journalist is being held in the same Federal Security Bureau (the modern KGB) Lefortovo prison that U.S. Marine Paul Whelan was originally held in.
“Gershkovich is an American and should be allowed to return to the U.S. immediately,” concluded Mills.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Gershkovich tweeted in July that “Reporting on Russia is now also a regular practice of watching people you know get locked away for years.”
The White House has since stated that Gershkovich’s freedom is a priority.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told the media that “These charges are ridiculous. Evan is not a spy.”
After the Brittney Griner situation that ended in a the release of Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, also known as the “merchant of death,” the Biden administration will be tested to bring an American home once again.
