Schneider, Vindman Urge ICC to Rescind Overreaching Warrants, Re-Focus on Mission

WASHINGTON - Congressman Eugene Vindman (Va.-07) and Brad Schneider (IL-10)co-led a letter to the International Criminal Court (ICC) with 40 other Membersurging the Court to rescind their overreaching warrants in Israel and focus on the critical mission of prosecuting war criminals and delivering justice around the world.

"As a prosecutor who traveled 14 times to Ukraine investigating war crimes, I know how critical the ICC is for maintaining the rules-based international order. And yet, the ICC's recent decision to issue arrest warrants for Israel's leadership severely undermines the principles of justice and threatens to politicize the Court's critical mission to prosecute the world's most egregious crimes," said Vindman. "I strongly urge the ICC to reconsider these arrest warrants, refocus its efforts on clear cases of atrocity crimes, and uphold the integrity of its mandate. Make no mistake, weakening the ICC is precisely what malign actors want."

"The ICC's decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli leaders undermines its credibility at a critical moment when the focus should remain on holding actual war criminals accountable. Israel, a democratic nation with an independent judiciary, is capable of addressing allegations within its own legal system. This action risks destabilizing global efforts to promote justice and emboldens bad actors, threatening the cooperation needed to confront threats to peace and security," said Schneider.

The letterwas also signed by U.S. Representatives Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.-04), Shontel Brown (D-Ohio-11), Janelle Bynum (D-Ore.-05), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.-20), Gilbert Cisernos (D-Calif.-31), Angie Craig (D-Minn-02), Jim Costa (D-Calif.-21), Don Davis (D-N.C.-01), April McClain Delaney (D-Md.-06), Sarah Elfreth (D-Md.-03), Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.-10), Steny Hoyer (D-Md.-05), Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.-02), Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.-05), Julie Johnson (D-Texas-32), Tim Kennedy (D-N.Y.-26), George Latimer (D-N.Y.-16), John Mannion (D-N.Y.-22), Sarah McBride (D-Del.), Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Mich.-08), Grace Meng (D-N.Y.-06), Joseph Morelle (D-N.Y.-25), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.-06), Johnny Olszewski (D-Md.-02), Scott Peters (D-Calif.-52), Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.-07), Kim Schrier (D-Wis.-08), Brad Sherman (D-Calif.-32), Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.-04), Haley Stevens (D-Mich.-11), Eric Sorenson (D-Ill-17), Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.-03), Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.-13), Dina Titus (D.-Nev.-01), Norma Torres (D-Calif.-35), Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.-15), Juan Vargas (D-Calif.-52), and Laura Gillen (D-N.Y.-04).