Risch threatens to block committee action over International Criminal Court sanctions bill

Ted Barrett, CNN

(CNN) — The apical Republican connected nan Senate Foreign Relations Committee is threatening to artifact each action connected nominees and authorities successful nan committee unless advancement is made to walk sanctions against nan International Criminal Court, which has drawn bipartisan occurrence for its caller indictments of apical leaders of some Israel and Hamas.

The melodramatic move successful a committee known for bipartisan practice – which was first reported by Punchbowl News – speaks to Republican Sen. Jim Risch’s frustration with nan inability to scope a deal, particularly aft a akin measure passed nan House past week that had nan support of 42 Democrats.

“There were galore telephone calls betwixt a bipartisan group of senators who were galvanized to activity connected authorities regarding doing thing connected nan ICC, but complete nan people of nan past 3 weeks, that information seems to person gone away,” according to a root familiar with nan dynamics.

Suzanne Wrasse, a Risch spokesperson, said nan legislator from Idaho “is consenting to prosecute aggregate avenues for nan Senate to activity connected ICC legislation, but contempt respective offers made by Risch and his colleagues to negotiate, Democrats person not responded substantively, and we haven’t made progress.”

Republicans judge nan fastest measurement to walk a sanctions measure would beryllium for nan Senate to return up 1 that passed nan House, particularly arsenic nan number of legislative days earlier nan August recess are shrinking.

But Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, who chairs nan Foreign Relations Committee, criticized nan House measurement arsenic a “divisive partisan bill” and said he is trying to scope a woody pinch Republicans to move bipartisan sanctions legislation.

“Defending Israel from this flawed and biased prosecution deserves nan aforesaid agreed support we stock for nan full US-Israel relationship,” he said. “Political maneuvering by Republicans person made a bipartisan measure much difficult, but I person continued talks pinch those Republicans who are genuinely willing successful a bipartisan way forward.”

Cardin is group to talk nan standoff pinch Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer Tuesday afternoon, according to an aide.

Risch has posted of X that he won’t work together to person nan committee meet again unless sanctions authorities is connected nan agenda.