White House Punts Concern For Sgt. Tahmooressi to State Department

Katie Pavlich | October 01, 2014 4:45 PM

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Press Secretary Josh Earnest was asked by Fox News' Ed Henry about the level of concern the White House had for Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi , who is being held in a Mexican prison under inhumane conditions and living with a severe case of untreated PTSD.

"There was another report and hearing today on Capitol Hill about Sgt. Tahmooressi, the U.S. Marine who's been in a Mexican jail. The reason why it's important among other reasons is that various lawmakers as well as various veterans have come forward and said he has PTSD which this president has said is a very serious issue that he cares deeply about. How concerned is this White House that he is still in a Mexican jail, had PTSD according to VA doctors and hasn't gotten treatment in several months," Henry asked.

"I can tell you that my colleagues at the State Department are very focused on this issue and so I'd refer you to them for their efforts to work with the Mexican government," Earnest said.

"Republican Ed Royce said today that he asked Vice President Joe Biden recently to ask Preident Obama to call the president of Mexico directly and get him [Tahmooressi] out of jail and he said that didn't happen. Why not?" Henry followed up.

"I don't believe it has and that's because this is an issue that is being handled by the State Department," Earnest said.

Earlier today Sgt. Tahmooressi's mother, Jill Tahmooressi, testified in front of Congress about the condition of her son and detailed the horrifying conditions in which he is being detained. She also said President Obama hasn't called her, despite media attention and a WhiteHouse.gov petition receiving 134,000 signatures asking for him to pursue her son's release.