James Lankford on Turkey Holding Pastor Brunson: ‘This Is Not How You Treat an Ally’
EXCERPT:
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HUCKABEE SANDERS: "The president has been closely following the ongoing situation in Turkey involving Pastor Andrew Brunson. We’ve seen no evidence that Pastor Brunson has done anything wrong and we believe he is a victim of unfair and unjust attention by the government of Turkey. At the president’s direction the Department of Treasury is sanctioning Turkey’s minister of justice and minister of interior, both of whom played leading roles in the arrest and detention of Pastor Brunson."
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HEMMER: "That’s a direct message to Turkish leaders in Ankara. How will they respond and what can you tell us about his fate today?"
LANKFORD: "I would hope that they'll respond by sending back Pastor Brunson. this is something -- I went to Turkey in December of 2016 and met with the minister of justice office to be able to directly plead to for his release at that point now a year and a half ago. So it is right and appropriate for us to put sanctions on them. The Turkish government all along has seemed to say they’ll hold this pastor and they want to get something for him. What I have said over and over again if the Turks want to be able to get something from Pastor Brunson what they’ll get is sanctions is what they’ll get. This is not how you treat an ally and NATO partner by holding an American hostage hoping to use him as leverage to get something else."