Political Quotes

“Mr. President, a couple of weeks ago, I started the first of what will be a weekly speech to bring attention to what I think is a travesty of justice occurring in Turkey. I wish to speak about a pastor, a Presbyterian minister from North Carolina, who has lived in Turkey for about 20 years and who has done his very best to respect the laws of Turkey and to bring the Word to people who want to hear it. Unfortunately, he has been swept up in a coup. He has been swept up in the emergency powers of Turkey. He has been in prison for 580 days. I went to Turkey about 6 weeks ago to visit Pastor Brunson in prison because I heard that after being in prison for about a year and a half--and for much of that time in a cell that is designed for 8 people and had 21 people in it--he was then indicted. I heard he was afraid the American people were going to read that 62-page bogus indictment, with some of the flimsiest charges we could imagine--charges that wouldn't keep someone overnight in an American jail--that have kept him in prison for 580 days. About 2 months ago, he was indicted, but he said to his wife and friends, he was afraid the American people would read that indictment and turn their backs on him. So it was important for me to travel over there and tell him face-to- face in that Turkish prison that is the last thing that is going to happen. We are going to continue to work every day he is in prison.…”