Push to free Marc Fogel from Russian prison gains support in Congress

TOGETHER. THIS SURVEILLANCE VIDEO FROM ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO SHOWS THE LAST TIME MARK VOGEL WAS A FREE MAN. I WILL ABDUCT, WAIT FOR HIM UNTIL I’M DEAD. IF HE’S NOT OUT HIS SISTER, ANNE VOGEL, SAYS MARK KNOWS THERE IS A BILL NAMED AFTER HIM THE BIPARTISAN MARK VOGEL ACT WOULD AMEND THE CURRENT RULES REGARDING AMERICANS DETAINED OVERSEAS. AS I JUST I JUST HOPE IT DOES SOME GOOD. WE’VE BEEN REALLY BEATING OUR HEADS AGAINST THE WALL FOR A LONG TIME NOW, AND WE NEED WE NEED A BREAK. WE NEED A BREAKTHROUGH. SHE SAYS RUSSIA IS THE FIRST PROBLEM. THE SECOND PROBLEM IS THAT THE US IS NOT REALLY STEPPED UP TO OUR FENCE LINE AND HAVE I DON’T. I DON’T THINK THAT THEY HAVE ADVOCATED FOR HIM LIKE THEY HAVE FOR THE OTHERS, SHE SAYS THE REASON IS A MYSTERY. ONE US SENATOR AND ONE US CONGRESSMAN TELL ME THEY ARE REACHING ACROSS THE AISLE TO BRING MARK VOGEL HOME. I THINK HE’S A VICTIM OF RUSSIAN AGGRESSION MUCH AS THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE ARE AND THE RUSSIANS ARE BEHAVING AS THE PRIZE THAT THEY ARE IN THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE, THEY ARE FINDING PLACES TO EXERT LEVERAGE OVER OUR GOVERNMENT TO RETURN PRISONERS HERE WHO HAVE ENGAGED IN ESPIONAGE OR OTHER SERIOUS CRIMES. AND SO THEY’RE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLOIT AMERICANS WHEN THEY CAN. AND MARK IS A VICTIM OF THAT. MARK IS EVERY MAN, REGARDLESS OF POLITICAL DIVIDE. AND HE NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT HOME AND HE NEEDS TO BE REUNITED WITH HIS FAMILY. U.S SENATOR BOB CASEY SAYS FOGEL’S CASE IS GETTING TRACTION IN SOME PART OF THAT IS CONTINUING TO BUILD COALITIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES THAT MIGHT HAVE MIGHT HAVE DETAINEES FROM THEIR COUNTRY, BUT ALSO MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP US BECAUSE THEY HAVE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE OR THEY HAVE SOME SOME INTEREST THAT THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT IS INTERESTED IN. SO THAT’S ALSO AN EFFORT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO UNDERTAKE THERE. ANYTHING ELSE YOU CAN DO? UM. PRAY. PRAY WE GET HIM HOME. BUT I LIKE ACTION, ACTION AND PRAYERS ARE GOOD. THAT’S A GOOD COMBINATION. HIS FAMILY IS DETERMINED, AND THERE ARE TWO CONGRESSIONAL MEASURES FOR MARK VOGEL RIGHT NOW. SO ONE IS A RESOLUTION JUST CALLING FOR HIS RELEASE. THERE’S ALSO THIS BILL CALLED THE MARK FOGEL ACT THAT REQUIRES MORE INFORMATION FROM THE US STATE DEPARTMENT REGARDNG HOW THEY MAKE DECISIONS ON WHO GETS THAT DESIGNATION OF WRONGFULLY DETAINED IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES ONCE AN AMERICAN GETS THAT DESIGNATION, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OFTEN FIGHTS HARD TO GET THEM BACK HOME. FOGEL’S FAMILY WANTS MORE SENATORS AND MEMBERS OF CO

An Oakmont man will spend his 62nd birthday in a Russian prison camp Friday.Marc Fogel has been imprisoned there since August 2021, when agents at the Moscow airport say they confiscated medical marijuana in his luggage."I will advocate for him until I'm dead if he is not out," Fogel's sister, Anne, told Pittsburgh's Action News 4.The push to free Marc Fogel is gaining momentum. It even has Republicans and Democrats in Congress working together. The bipartisan Marc Fogel Act would amend the current rules regarding Americans detained overseas."I just hope it does some good," Anne Fogel said. "We've been really beating our heads against the wall for a long time now, and we need a break. We need a breakthrough."She says Russia is the first problem."The second problem is that the U.S. has not really stepped up to our fence line," Anne Fogel said. "I don't think that they have advocated for him like they have for the others."WEB EXTRA: Marc Fogel is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. IUP's president spoke with Pittsburgh's Action News 4 with a message to the federal government: 'Bring Marc home' Two Congress members from Pennsylvania told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 that they are reaching across the aisle to bring Marc Fogel home."I think he's a victim of Russian aggression, much as the Ukrainian people are, and the Russians are behaving as the prize that they are on the international stage. They are finding places to exert leverage over our government to return prisoners here who have engaged in espionage or other serious crimes, and so they're looking for opportunities to exploit Americans when they can and Marc is a victim of that," said U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-17th District.Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey said Fogel's case is getting traction."Part of that is continuing to build coalitions and relationships with other countries that might have detainees from their country but also might be able to help us because they have relationships that we may not have, where they have some interest that the Russian government is interested in, so that's also an effort that we have to continue to undertake," Casey said.When asked if there is anything else she can do, Anne Fogel said, "Pray. Pray we get them home. But I like action. Action and prayers are good. That's a good combination."There are two congressional measures for Marc Fogel: A resolution calling for his release, and a bill called the Marc Fogel Act that requires more information from the U.S. Department of State regarding how they make decisions on who is designated as "wrongfully detained" in foreign countries. Once an American gets that designation, the State Department often fights hard to get them back home.Fogel's family wants more senators and members of Congress to sponsor the legislation."Marc is every man, regardless of political divide, and he needs to be brought home and he needs to be reunited with his family," Anne Fogel said.

PITTSBURGH —

An Oakmont man will spend his 62nd birthday in a Russian prison camp Friday.

Marc Fogel has been imprisoned there since August 2021, when agents at the Moscow airport say they confiscated medical marijuana in his luggage.

"I will advocate for him until I'm dead if he is not out," Fogel's sister, Anne, told Pittsburgh's Action News 4.

The push to free Marc Fogel is gaining momentum. It even has Republicans and Democrats in Congress working together. The bipartisan Marc Fogel Act would amend the current rules regarding Americans detained overseas.

"I just hope it does some good," Anne Fogel said. "We've been really beating our heads against the wall for a long time now, and we need a break. We need a breakthrough."

She says Russia is the first problem.

"The second problem is that the U.S. has not really stepped up to our fence line," Anne Fogel said. "I don't think that they have advocated for him like they have for the others."

WEB EXTRA: Marc Fogel is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. IUP's president spoke with Pittsburgh's Action News 4 with a message to the federal government: 'Bring Marc home'

Two Congress members from Pennsylvania told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 that they are reaching across the aisle to bring Marc Fogel home.

"I think he's a victim of Russian aggression, much as the Ukrainian people are, and the Russians are behaving as the prize that they are on the international stage. They are finding places to exert leverage over our government to return prisoners here who have engaged in espionage or other serious crimes, and so they're looking for opportunities to exploit Americans when they can and Marc is a victim of that," said U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-17th District.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey said Fogel's case is getting traction.

"Part of that is continuing to build coalitions and relationships with other countries that might have detainees from their country but also might be able to help us because they have relationships that we may not have, where they have some interest that the Russian government is interested in, so that's also an effort that we have to continue to undertake," Casey said.

When asked if there is anything else she can do, Anne Fogel said, "Pray. Pray we get them home. But I like action. Action and prayers are good. That's a good combination."

There are two congressional measures for Marc Fogel: A resolution calling for his release, and a bill called the Marc Fogel Act that requires more information from the U.S. Department of State regarding how they make decisions on who is designated as "wrongfully detained" in foreign countries. Once an American gets that designation, the State Department often fights hard to get them back home.

Fogel's family wants more senators and members of Congress to sponsor the legislation.

"Marc is every man, regardless of political divide, and he needs to be brought home and he needs to be reunited with his family," Anne Fogel said.

Push to free Marc Fogel from Russian prison gains support in Congress

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