George Clooney calls for boycott of 9 hotels over anti-gay law

LOS ANGELES -- George Clooney is calling for the boycott of nine hotels in the U.S. and Europe with ties to the sultan of Brunei, which next month will implement Islamic criminal laws to punish gay sex by stoning offenders to death.

The Hollywood actor wrote Thursday in Deadline Hollywood: "Are we really going to help fund the murder of innocent citizens?"

He writes that you can't shame "murderous regimes," but you can shame "the banks, the financiers and the institutions that do business with them."

Sen. Ted Cruz weighed in on the topic on Twitter writing, "Here are words I've never said before: I agree with George Clooney. Brunei's laws criminalizing homosexuality - and imposing capital punishment - are immoral, barbaric & inhumane. We should stand united in condemning them & not give our $$ to those who perpetuate oppression."

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah rules the oil-rich monarchy with full executive authority, and the hotels are owned by the Brunei Investment Agency. An email seeking comment was sent to the agency Friday.

The hotels are The Dorchester and Coworth Park in the U.K.; Beverly Hills Hotel and Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles; Le Meurice and Hotel Plaza Athenee in Paris; Hotel Eden in Rome; and Hotel Principe di Savoia in Milan.

The new laws take effect April 3.