The Democrats who think the Brittany Griner swap with Victor Bout, the ‘Merchant of Death’ is a fabulous thing have a new cheerleader. Sheila Jackson Lee believes we shouldn’t be worried because he didn’t kill any Americans.

“Let me say this. No one knows the story of the weapons dealer, if you will. And as the facts would tell them. He was sentenced to 25 years. He served 11 to 16 years, I can’t remember the exact number. But in actuality, his weapons might have been used to kill Americans, but he has not killed Americans. I’m not saying he’s not a nasty, bad guy. But I will tell you that I believe that Americans should know that the sovereignty of their nation will always be behind them, and they will never be forgotten. Brittney Griner deserved this fight that we put forth, so does Paul Whelan,” Lee said.

Believe me, it took me quite a long time before I could gather my jaw up off the floor. As we’ve written on many an occasion, Sheila Jackson Lee is an incompetent loon and we have NO idea how she keeps getting elected! 

Well, she went WAY off the deep end with her support of the Brittany Griner swap for Russia gaining a major world arms dealer who funds anyone who waves money under his nose. In other words, Victor Bout funds terrorists. He’s not nicknamed the ‘Merchant of Death’ for no reason. 

Here’s the thing, while it’s good that at least ONE American is no longer in a Russian prison, there is another one. Paul Whelan, whom we’ve written about here and here. Given his track record in the military was problematic, the fact remains, he’s been in a Russian prison for over four years on dubious charges. So why not advocate for his swap? Oh wait, the Trump Administration was. 

Pompeo said the Trump administration had entered into discussions with Russia about Paul Whelan — the former Marine who remains in a Russian penal colony — but was very specific about standards surrounding any exchange.

“The Trump administration was always very clear: we weren’t going to trade bad guys for celebrities, because it creates the wrong incentives for the bad guys as we go forward​,” Pompeo said on “Fox News Sunday.” ​

“​It’s not good for American national security. It’s not good for people who are traveling across the world​,” he said. ​

Pompeo said the aim during the Trump administration was to “get every American back” — but without creating the risk that other US citizens would be taken. ​

I’m sure Brittany Griner and her family are glad she is home. However, this swap has reeked from the get go. To be sure, I’m on record as having very little sympathy for Griner and the fix she found herself in. That said, the Biden Administration has totally botched the negotiations. John Kirby’s response as to why wasn’t Paul Whelan part of the swap discussion made my blood boil.

​”​There was never a choice posed by the Russians, well, hey, you give us Bout back, and then you can decide whether you want Brittney or Paul. That was never the arrangement. It was only Ms. Griner for Mr. Bout​,” Kirby told Fox News’ Shannon Bream.

Wait just a gosh darned minute!! Do you mean to tell me that because the Russians didn’t toss the choice of Whelan into the ring, the Biden Administration’s hands were tied??!! Folks, our government is run by knaves and fools of the highest order. 

To think that OUR negotiators couldn’t push for Whelan’s release because Russia didn’t offer that as a choice shows that we have idiots in charge. Keep in mind, NBC is on record as saying that Russia DID give the US a choice, Whelan or Griner, or no one..and then stealth edited the entire story to fit the chosen narrative.  

It appears @NBCNews made a MAJOR change to their Griner story WITHOUT an editorial note. It changes the context of the prisoner trade story and takes heat off of White House. Why the cover-up? pic.twitter.com/tW1ANgbeYM

— Reality Czar Rikki (@rikkiratliff) December 8, 2022

Indeed, why the cover up?? It doesn’t make the Biden Administration look any better these days. Furthermore, no sooner than Victor Bout set foot on Russian soil, the interviews have lined up. In which, he mocks the United States. 

Recently freed from jail in the US, the "merchant of death" Viktor Bout tells Maria Butina how horrified he was to learn in America that there are 72 genders

"Not just gay people and normal people, but 72!" pic.twitter.com/nMw7k0hpvl

— Francis Scarr (@francis_scarr) December 10, 2022

Ok, yes. The whole 72 genders thing is a boatload of idiocy. HOWEVER, for a noted arms dealer, the Merchant of Death to go on record as mocking the US after his release… stellar optics for the Biden Administration. STELLAR. 

And then we go back to Sheila Jackson Lee. This exchange was SO FABULOUS!! Why? Because one of the world’s biggest arms dealers might’ve sold arms that killed Americans, but because he didn’t PERSONALLY kill any Americans, all is good and bygones shall be bygones. 

Yes, Brittany Griner is now back in the US, but Paul Whelan is still in a Russian prison. A celebrity swap that ends with a major arms dealer poking fun at the United States is par for the course with this Biden Administration. The Merchant of Death will be laughing his way to the bank thanks to defenders like Sheila Jackson Lee. 

Feature Photo Credit:  Sheila Jackson Lee at NASA Johnson Center via Flickr, cropped and modified