WASHINGTON — The family of Michigan's Paul Whelan was "astonished" Wednesday after President Joe Biden called the wife of WNBA star Brittney Griner but did not also call the Whelans.
Both Whelan and Griner are imprisoned in Russia, but Griner was arrested in February, while Whelan has been held for 3 1/2 years. His family has sought a meeting with Biden for months and months, with his sister, Elizabeth Whelan, putting in four requests that have not been granted, she said.
The Whelans suggested the disparate treatment is due to Griner's celebrity. The two-time Olympic gold medalist plays for the Phoenix Mercury and faces possibly 10 years in prison in Russia.
