President Biden Declines Texas Meeting With Family Of Former U.S. Marine Jailed In Russia Trevor Reed
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Two and a half years after their son, former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed was sentenced to nine years for allegedly assaulting a Russian police officer, Reed's parents are demonstrating in Fort Worth to remind people of his plight.
This after they say President Joe Biden declined their request to meet with them during his visit on March 8, 2022 to the Lone Star state.
"For months now, we have been asking for a meeting with our President. It was heartbreaking to hear this morning that the White House declined our request to meet with President Biden tomorrow in Fort Worth. Trevor was a Presidential Guard Marine during the Obama/Biden Administration and part of his job was to take a bullet for then VP-Biden and his family. Trevor is very proud of his service, as is our entire family, and Trevor is worried he's been left behind. We had hoped President Biden would see us tomorrow in Fort Worth, especially since the event is about caring for veterans."
Joey and Paula Reed, and Trevor's sister Taylor Reed, will conduct a demonstration to raise awareness of Trevor's case outside President Biden's veterans event. In a statement, they said they're "deeply disappointed" that the President was unable to make time to meet with them.
Reed's family have urged the Biden administration before to push for their son's release in exchange for one of the high-profile Russian nationals held in U.S. jails.
Reed pleaded not guilty in 2019 during his trial in Moscow and said at the time, that the harsh sentence made him think his trial was "completely political." His lawyers told CBS News it was the harshest sentence ever handed down in Russia for the charge.
Reed's family and legal defense team have also said Russians are holding him in subpar conditions.
