Pennsylvania is celebrating the release of Pittsburgh-area teacher Marc Fogel, who was wrongfully detained in a Russian prison for three years.
Russian authorities arrested Fogel and sentenced him to 14 years for possessing a small amount of medical marijuana to cope with pain from a severe back injury.
One of those celebrating is fellow western Pennsylvanian, U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), who met Fogel’s 95-year-old mother while campaigning and continued to advocate for Fogel’s release.
“I am thrilled that Marc Fogel is finally coming home after years of being wrongfully held in Russia,” McCormick said. “I have been working on this since meeting Marc’s mother at the (Donald Trump campaign) Butler rally in July, and I’m grateful to President Trump and Secretary Rubio for delivering on their commitment to free Marc. As I told Marc’s mom, Mafa, when we first met, we would do everything possible to get Marc home. It is a blessing that this day has finally come.”
Sen. Dave McCormick with Marc Fogel’s mother, Malfine.
McCormick pressed Fogel’s case in public hearings and private meetings with administration officials. During his second week as a senator, McCormick met with then-secretary of state nominee Marco Rubio to discuss Fogel’s case. He raised it again during Rubio’s public confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It was McCormick’s first question at a hearing after arriving in the Senate, and Rubio committed to securing Fogel’s freedom.
McCormick also spoke with Special Envoys Steve Witkoff, Adam Boehler, and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz to discuss Fogel’s case and advocate for his release.
And McCormick released a bipartisan, bicameral letter with Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) urging Rubio to “unlock all of the tools at the U.S. Government’s disposal to advocate for Marc’s release.”
Eleven members of the Pennsylvania House delegation signed on, including Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks), Brendan Boyle (D-Philadelphia), Madeleine Dean (D-Montgomery), Chrissy Houlahan (D-Chester), Ryan Mackenzie (R-Lehigh), Rob Bresnahan (R-Wayne), Dan Meuser (R-Lebanon), Guy Reschenthaler (R-Fayette), Glenn Thompson (R-Armstrong), Mike Kelly (R-Erie), and Chris Deluzio (D-Beaver).
Fetterman said, “Marc Fogel’s return home is long overdue—and I know all of Pennsylvania, especially his family, will be welcoming him back with open arms.
“I commend President Trump and Steve Witkoff for their efforts in finally bringing Marc home,” he added.
“Marc Fogel is coming home,” Dean said. “It’s a sigh of relief. Marc is a father, a husband, a son, and an educator — today, I’m thinking, with joy and hope, of his loved ones. And I’m praying for his health and safety on the journey home and for love and healing in his homecoming.”
Trump welcomed Fogel to the White House, saying his release made good a promise he’d made to Fogel’s mother, Malphine, that if elected, he would bring him home.
President Donald Trump and Marc Fogel.
(CREDIT: White House)
“President Trump is a hero … I will forever be indebted to President Trump, to Steve [Witkoff] over there — what a dynamic man this guy is. When I met him, the energy, the can-do attitude just exudes from his body,” Fogel said.
Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-Pa.) said, “After more than three years in Russian captivity, I join his family, our federal partners, and all of his fellow Pennsylvanians in welcoming Marc Fogel home — exactly where he belongs. Thank you to those at the @WhiteHouse who made his release possible, and to his wife Jane, mom, siblings, and kids here in Pennsylvania who never, ever gave up.”
In exchange for Fogel’s release, Trump traded Russian prisoner Alexander Vinnik, who was charged with cryptocurrency money laundering and fraud, the New York Post reported. Fogel had remained imprisoned during former President Joe Biden’s term.
