01.29.25

Democrats Choose Big Tech Over Defending American Sovereignty

Senate Democrats Chose to Prop Up an Unlawful International Court and Undermine the Sovereignty of the U.S. and Israel Because Big Tech Asked

“I’m not sure if they’re afraid of antagonizing the anti-Israel wing of their party, or if they’re simply too beholden to Big Tech, which lodged some tenuous concerns about this legislation. But whatever their reason, Democrats chose to vote no.”

– Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.)

“Democrats voted against protecting American troops from a corrupt kangaroo court. They had 10 months to negotiate this bill, but instead waited until the last minute to demand unworkable changes that would give carve outs to big tech. Make no mistake-Democrats weakened our national sovereignty and Israel’s ability to defend itself today.” – Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)

DEMOCRATS BLOCKED THE ILLEGITIMATE COURT COUNTERACTION ACT, UNDERMINING AMERICAN SOVEREIGNTY

  • Senate Democrats blocked a bill sanctioning officials of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for “the court’s issuing of arrest warrants for top Israeli officials last year,” after Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer “stressed the need for unity” among Democrats. (Axios: Senate Dems block ICC sanctions bill in Schumer-urged show of unity – 1/28/25)
  • “Two freshmen Democratic senators, Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Ruben Gallego of Arizona, who voted for the same measure last year when they were in the House, also voted no.” (CNN: Senate Democrats block International Criminal Court sanctions bill in response to Netanyahu warrant – 1/28/25)
  • The bill sanctions any foreign person who “has directly engaged in or otherwise aided any effort by the International Criminal Court to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute” someone not under the ICC’s jurisdiction. (H.R. 23: Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act – 1/13/25)
  • The ICC has a record of targeting Americans: In 2020, ICC prosecutors began an investigation into U.S. personnel who served in Afghanistan since May 2003. (The Wall Street Journal: U.S. Rebukes International Court Over Afghanistan War Crimes Probe – 3/5/20)
  • Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), the only Democrat who voted to move forward on the bill, wondered, “I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t want to vote for this and support Israel…” (CNN: Senate Democrats block International Criminal Court sanctions bill in response to Netanyahu warrant – 1/28/25)

WHY? BECAUSE BIG TECH ASKED THEM TO

“We’re trying to get agreement on language to address the businesses that are doing business with the ICC and the member states, so that they’re not automatically sanctioned…” – Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.)

“[I]n recent weeks, our U.S. businesses and allies have raised serious concerns over the text of the bill.”

– Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.)

  • Democrats were “worried that the bill was too broad and could lead to sanctions against U.S. allies that are ICC member states and U.S. tech companies that provide support to the court…” (Politico: Senate Dems block bill that would sanction ICC – 1/28/25)
  • “U.S. tech companies are now getting involved behind the scenes amid fears that they’d be the target of crippling sanctions under the GOP-drafted bill…” (Punchbowl News: Senate Dems, GOP negotiate changes to ICC sanctions bill ahead of key vote – 1/27/25)
  • “One Democrat told JI that they had heard from multiple tech CEOs expressing concern about the scope of the bill...” (Jewish Insider: Senate Democrats block ICC sanctions bill – 1/28/25)
  • Despite releasing a joint statement calling the ICC’s “false equivalence of Israel’s defense of its people with Hamas’s barbaric actions on October 7th… an affront to human conscience,” numerous Senate Democrats admitted they voted against further consideration of the bill because they feared it would put “U.S. private companies in the crosshairs” who do business with the ICC. (Sen. Cortez Masto: Senators Cortez Masto, Rosen, Booker, Gillibrand, Kelly, Blumenthal, Wyden, Schiff, Peters, and Gallego Issue Statement on ICC Sanctions Procedural Vote – 1/28/25)