www.msn.com by Tyler Pager, Ashley Parker
Academy Award-winning actor George Clooney called one of President Biden’s top aides last month to complain about the president’s criticism of the International Criminal Court’s action against Israeli leaders — a case his wife, Amal Clooney, worked on, according to three people familiar with the conversation.
Clooney called Steve Ricchetti, counselor to the president, to express concern about Biden’s denunciation of arrest warrants sought by ICC prosecutors for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, especially his use of the word “outrageous.” The prosecutors also sought warrants for top Hamas leaders.
The actor was also upset about the administration’s initial openness to imposing sanctions on the ICC because his wife might be subject to the penalties, the people said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a private conversation.
Clooney’s call came just weeks before he is set to appear at a fundraiser for Biden’s reelection campaign June 15 in Los Angeles. His concerns spread throughout Biden’s orbit, leaving some officials to worry that the high-profile actor would withdraw from participating in the marquee fundraiser, which will also feature former president Barack Obama, late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel and actress Julia Roberts.
For weeks, Biden’s reelection campaign has been running a fundraising contest for supporters to win an all-expenses-paid trip to Los Angeles to meet Obama, Clooney and Roberts at the event. Clooney still plans to attend the fundraiser, the people said.
The Biden campaign disputed the notion that there were serious worries about Clooney dropping out of the fundraiser. Clooney, through a representative, declined to comment, as did the White House.
Clooney has long supported Democratic candidates and causes. In 2020, he donated more than $500,000 to Biden’s campaign effort and co-hosted a virtual fundraiser for him that raised $7 million.
Karim Khan, chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, announced on May 20 that he was seeking to charge Netanyahu, Gallant, Hamas leader Yehiya Sinwar and two other top Hamas leaders with war crimes and crimes against humanity…
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