South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham wants to avoid further sanctions on Turkey that he says could hurt a fiber plant in Anderson County.
According to the Anderson Independent Mail, Graham says U.S. officials are considering additional measures to pressure Turkey into releasing North Carolina pastor Andrew Brunson. He’s been held on espionage and terror-related charges for nearly two years.
Graham visited the Glen Raven plant Monday which has about 750 employees. He called on Turkey to send Brunson home, while saying the U.S. shouldn’t impose further sanctions.
"If we did not have this business relationship between Glen Raven and this manufacturing interest in Turkey, they’d literally go out of business," Graham said. "So what I want to do is make sure the sanctions we have on the table today are never implemented. That we need to stand down."
Graham said he visited Brunson in Turkey three weeks ago and planned to speak to Turkey’s ambassador.
Brunson was released from a Turkish jail late last month and moved to house arrest as his trial continues.