In the Friday, Dec. 22, edition of the Butler Eagle, we learned that 15 lawmakers from Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation have all urged the United States government to do more to get Butler native Marc Fogel released from a Russian prison.

Fogel, 62, is a longtime English teacher who was detained in 2021 in Russia when authorities found a half-ounce of medical marijuana Fogel had been prescribed for a back injury. That discovery led to charges of “large-scale drug smuggling” and a 14-year prison sentence for Fogel.

U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-16th, along with Democratic Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman, are three of the legislators who signed onto the letter.

“During this holiday season, we join our constituents urging the Biden administration to redouble its efforts to secure Mr. Fogel’s release from Russian custody so that Mr. Fogel may return home to his wife, 94-year-old mother, and the rest of his family,” the letter read.

Fogel meets six of the 11 criteria to be declared wrongfully detained, but that still hasn’t happened, despite the U.S. State Department having given that designation to other Americans being held in Russia.

Malphine Fogel, Marc Fogel’s mother, and members of her family have reached out to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken but have never heard directly from him.

That kind of treatment leads Marc Fogel’s friends and family to worry the United States government has forgotten him. Letters like the one from the state’s congressional delegation are one way to help make sure that doesn’t happen.

The news earlier this month that Russian officials rejected a proposal to free Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich, two Americans being held in Russia who have been declared wrongfully detained, shows there are serious ongoing talks about at least some Americans being held in Russia.

It’s time for Marc Fogel’s family to hear at least some answers from the State Department about what, if anything, is being done to secure his release.

— JK