Politics
ICC condemns sanctions by Donald Trump administration and pledges to continue its work
The International Criminal Court on Friday called on its member states to stand up against sanctions imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, saying that the move was an attempt to “harm its independent and impartial judicial work.”
And the embattled court got plenty of support from traditional U.S. allies in Europe who stood up against the Trump measure.
“Sanctioning the ICC threatens the court’s independence and undermines the international criminal justice system as a whole,” said European Council President António Costa, who heads the summits of the European Union’s 27 leaders. It was the toughest direct criticism to a decision by Trump by a top EU official since he took office again last month.
The White House issued the executive order on Thursday in response to what it called “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.”
The U.S. and Israel aren’t members of the court and don’t recognize its authority, and Trump’s order was a response to the arrest warrant that the ICC issued last year for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians, including children, have been killed during the Israeli military’s response to Hamas’ attack on southern Israel that killed around 1,200 people in October 2023. The figure of Palestinians killed is provided by Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between fighters and civilians.
The Hague-based court said that it “condemns” the move by the Trump administration.
“The Court stands firmly by its personnel and pledges to continue providing justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world,” the court said in a statement.
“We call on our 125 States Parties, civil society and all nations of the world to stand united for justice and fundamental human rights,” it said.
And many did.
Germany will await the concrete effects of the sanctions, but clearly showed where its sympathy lies.
“The ICC is one of the greatest accomplishments of international criminal law,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kathrin Deschauer said. “We as Germany support the ICC and will continue to do so.”
She noted that countries that are parties to the ICC rallied behind the court when Trump took similar measures in his first term, and “we as Europeans and Germany will remain one of the biggest supporters of the ICC.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the court “must be able to freely pursue the fight against global impunity. Europe will always stand for justice and the respect of international law.”
The order said that the U.S. would impose “tangible and significant consequences” on those responsible for the ICC’s “transgressions.” Actions may include blocking property and assets and not allowing ICC officials, employees and relatives to enter the United States.
The U.S. Treasury and State Department will determine which people and organizations will be sanctioned.
The ICC caught the wrath of the United States in November, when a pretrial panel of judges issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas’ military chief, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with the war in Gaza.
The warrants said that there was reason to believe that Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant used “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid and have intentionally targeted civilians in Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza — charges Israeli officials deny.
On Friday, human rights groups criticized the decision.
“US sanctions against ICC officials would be a gift to those around the globe responsible for mass atrocities. Sanctions are for human rights violators, not those working to hold rights abusers to account,” Liz Evenson, International justice Director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.
“Trump’s executive order borrows a page out of Russia’s playbook, which has sought to obstruct the court’s work through arrest warrants against its judges and prosecutor,” Evenson said.
Court officials had been preparing for sanctions for months. In January, the court gave staff a three-month advance on their salaries, two court insiders told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak to media.
At least two senior staff members at the court have resigned since Trump was elected in an effort to avoid sanctions.
The Netherlands, which hosts the court, has also condemned Trump’s order. “The Netherlands regrets the executive order imposing sanctions on the ICC. The court’s work is essential in the fight against impunity,” Foreign Affairs Minister Caspar Veldkamp said in a statement.
People in the Dutch government say the Netherlands has been trying to assist the court in shielding itself from the fallout.
In an increasingly polarized Western world, Hungary stood side by side with Trump.
“The ICC has recently turned itself into a biased political tool and has discredited the entire international court system,” Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said. “Its decisions have also only contributed to exacerbating insecurity in already difficult parts of the world.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said that “the ICC’s actions are immoral and have no legal basis.”
It is the second time that Trump has gone after the court. During his previous term in office, he imposed sanctions on former prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and one of her deputies over her investigation into crimes committed in Afghanistan. U.S. President Joe Biden lifted the sanctions when he took office in 2021.
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Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
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Politics
There’s a new Sheriff in town, but he can’t do much to reshape his agency. Lawmakers hope to change that
Citrus County Sheriff Dave Vincent came in hamstrung when he took office in January.
Vincent’s plans to reorganize the agency were met immediately by a little-known state law specific to Citrus County that protects employees during a new sheriff’s transition.
House Bill 629, added to Statute in 2001, says the new Citrus County Sheriff must keep the same staff for six months, can’t reduce anyone’s salary by more than 6%, and can’t drop a commander or captain by more than one rank.
Vincent’s predecessor, Mike Prendergast, had issued about a dozen promotions in the weeks following his Primary loss to Vincent.
That should no longer be an issue following this year’s Session.
The Citrus County Legislative Delegation — Sen. Blaise Ingoglia and Rep. JJ Grow — agreed Friday to file a local bill that would repeal HB 629.
“It was very obvious the bill was outdated,” Grow, an Inverness Republican, said.
Vincent said laws are already on the books with protections for sheriff’s employees. He said repealing the Citrus County law won’t help his transition, but it will remove restrictions for future sheriffs.
“I’m looking out for the next man or woman who takes my position,” he said.
Friday’s Legislative Delegation was the first for Grow, who was elected in November in House District 23.
Ingoglia, a Spring Hill Republican, chaired the meeting. Other highlights:
— Ingoglia said he and Grow will file a bill calling for military veterans with 100% disability to no longer pay tolls. “We hope this is a slam dunk,” he said.
— Grow said he supported the City of Inverness’ $2 million request for an RV campground at Whispering Pines Park to generate revenue. “Makes a lot of sense,” he said.
— Melissa Bowermaster, executive director of Jessie’s Place Child Advocacy Center, requested $150,000 for designing an expansion. Ingoglia not only supported the request, he suggested he may ask for more.
— LifeStream Behavioral Center sought $2 million toward construction of a 60-bed behavioral services campus in Lecanto. Citrus and Hernando counties combined have pledged $4 million, the Legislature previously awarded $2 million, and LifeStream is covering the rest of the estimated $16 million project.
— Citrus County YMCA, which opened its doors in Lecanto in 2016 after an $8.3 million local capital campaign, is seeking $1.2 million to complete an expansion.
— Ingoglia said he would be requesting $350,000 for the Crystal Memorial Gardens restoration project. Crystal Memorial Gardens is an historic African American cemetery just outside Crystal River. Ingoglia said he has support from the Florida Legislative Black Caucus.
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Edmonds was captured by Nazi forces and refused an order to separate out Jewish American soldiers from other POWs.
U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz is behind bipartisan legislation to honor a World War II veteran whose heroics likely saved the lives of a few hundred Jewish American soldiers.
Moskowitz is joining U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, a Tennessee Republican, to sponsor a bill posthumously awarding Roddie Edmonds the prestigious Congressional Gold Medal.
Edmonds is one of just five Americans honored by Yad Vashem as “Righteous Among the Nations.” That’s because Edmonds, after being captured by Nazi soldiers, refused to identify Jewish American soldiers within a prisoner-of-war camp, thus saving them from being targeted or even killed.
“During a period of darkness, hatred, and vile antisemitism, Roddie Edmonds showed unmatched bravery and solidarity,” Moskowitz said in a prepared statement announcing the legislation.
“His decision to stand by his fellow soldiers against the atrocities of Nazi Germany saved hundreds of Jewish American lives, and Congress can’t let that be forgotten. By honoring Roddie with this Congressional Gold Medal, we will stand with a humble American hero and ensure that his legacy of moral fortitude lives on.”
Edmonds was a master sergeant in the Army’s 422nd Infantry Regiment during his World War II service. He was captured in the Battle of the Bulge and was taken to the POW camp Stalag IX-A along with more than 1,000 Americans. Historians say it was there that the Nazis ordered Edmonds to disclose which soldiers were Jewish, even threatening him with death. But Edmonds refused.
It’s estimated that around 200 Jewish soldiers were in that POW camp along with Edmonds at the time.
Edmonds survived the war and passed away in 1985.
“Roddie Edmonds showed incredible bravery that should make every American proud,” Burchett said.
“He fearlessly faced down Nazi soldiers during World War II and saved hundreds of Jewish lives when he refused to turn in his fellow Jewish service members, even at gunpoint. This Congressional Gold Medal is a fitting way to honor his legacy.”
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