cite news | author=Jim Rutenberg, Marilyn W. Quote=] She gained national media attention in February, 2008, due to her involvement in the John McCain lobbyist controversy. Title=Indiana County shows pride in Iseman Iseman (born 1967) is a Washington, D.C.-based lobbyist working for the firm Alcalde & Fay. petitioning our representatives until Marc is designated or out of Russia.Education = Bachelor's degree in Elementary education ( IUP) “We felt heard, but we know that our next steps are the same as the last. While they wait, Anne reiterated the visit’s value. “Congress is in session that week, that’s why we picked that date, so that’s coming up.” “We’re hoping to fill a bus, I don’t know if we will,” Malphine said. She said Anne has acquired a permit for the demonstration and that it was being organized by Debra Zarnick, wife of one of Marc’s best friends, Tom Zarnick. “We’re working on getting a bus to go down.” “It’s going to be in front of the White House,” Malphine said. “I don’t know if that’s going to happen, but they all wrote the date down - so it might happen.”Īnother visit, this time a rally, is planned for July 15, according to Malphine. “Marc has a birthday on the 28th of July, so she was trying to convince them to wish him a ‘happy birthday’ on the Senate floor,” Malphine said.

In addition to sharing Marc’s story with the representatives, Malphine said Iseman encouraged them to recognize Marc’s birthday this summer. “The next day we met with probably 25 congressman.”

“She flew up from Florida, and she arranged all these meetings, and she knew her way around Washington, so we were able to go and get around pretty well,” Malphine said. Iseman, also an alumni of IUP, got in contact with the family via university President Michael Driscoll. The trip to the nation’s capital was organized with the assistance of lobbyist Vicki Iseman, Malphine said. “And, you know, they were all sympathetic about that.” “But as far as the Congress, all the members of Congress said they were going to get in touch with the State Department because it’s their duty, and they felt the sentence way outdoes the crime,” Malphine said. Kelly has repeatedly called on the State Department to recognize Fogel as wrongfully detained, including introducing a resolution for transparency in their investigation. Fogel in any future negotiations with the Russian government,” Knoedler said. “We will continue to push the Biden administration for Marc Fogel’s safe return to the United States and demand they include Mr. Matt Knoedler, a spokesman for Kelly, said the meeting was “productive.” Malphine said Fetterman seemed surprised at Marc’s plight, and that Kelly has been very kind to the family. Mike Kelly, R-16th, representing the county. “We’re hoping that new legislation in Marc’s name will put a time limit on the State Department in determining wrongful detention status and will also require an explanation of how they came to their conclusion,” Anne said. He was convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to 14 years in prison.Īnne said the trip may sponsor legislation in Marc’s name.

He was detained on a return trip in August 2021 for carrying about one-half ounce of medical marijuana, prescribed for chronic pain. “They just were very interested and sympathetic, and we ran our tails off, but everyone was very, very welcoming.”įogel, an Indiana University of Pennsylvania graduate, had been living and working as a teacher in Russia since 2012. “I think we had a very fruitful meeting with everybody,” Malphine said.

Viki iseman