It was three years ago that Kayla Mueller and her boyfriend Omar Alkhani were kidnapped and tortured by Islamic State militants. They had been working with Doctors Without Borders when they were taken hostage. While Alkani was eventually released after a couple of months, Kayla was not so fortunate. It was confirmed last year that she had been killed, but the means of her death still remains rather unclear. However, during Kayla’s hostage ordeal, a debate erupted over the issue of paying a ransom to ISIL for her release. The Muellers later stated that they pushed for a ransom payment but were warned by the Obama administration not to pay or they would face prosecution for violating U.S. law by providing support for a terror group.

Fast forward to this past January when team Obama made the in-the-dark-of-night “non-ransom” ransom payment of $400 million to Iran for the release of four American hostages. When news of the payment broke, the Obama administration initially denied there was any connection, contending that it was a repayment of a failed 1979 arms deal. However, after more evidence surfaced countering that narrative, the administration admitted that the payment was “leverage” but continued to insist it was not a ransom.

It is just this kind of double standard and slippery talk which causes many Americans to distrust and question the motives of anyone involved in government. This display by a politically privileged class only serves to reinforce the view that Washington is completely out of touch with everyday America.