Determination on the one side and, if we omit the possibility of complicity, perhaps carelessness on the other are what enable agents or “suspected agents” of the Chinese Communist Party to establish Party-pleasing relationships with U.S. congressmen and New York governors.
Associated Press reports that a former aide of the governor of New York State “is charged with being an agent of the Chinese government” (September 3, 2024).
The accused, Linda Sun, was a deputy chief of staff in the governor’s office. She’s being charged with “acting as an undisclosed agent of the Chinese government, federal prosecutors revealed in a sprawling indictment.” Her husband, Chris Hu, has also been arrested.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Hochul’s office said the administration fired Sun after “discovering evidence of misconduct.”
“This individual was hired by the Executive Chamber more than a decade ago. We terminated her employment in March 2023 after discovering evidence of misconduct, immediately reported her actions to law enforcement and have assisted law enforcement throughout this process,” the statement reads.
The Justice Department’s press release has more details. Justice is charging Sun with
violating and conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and money laundering conspiracy. Sun is alleged to have acted on behalf of the government of the People’s Republic of China (the “PRC”) and the Chinese Communist Party (the “CCP”). Sun’s husband and co-defendant Chris Hu was also charged with money laundering conspiracy, as well as conspiracy to commit bank fraud and misuse of means of identification….
“As alleged, while appearing to serve the people of New York as Deputy Chief of Staff within the New York State Executive Chamber, the defendant and her husband actually worked to further the interests of the Chinese government and the CCP,” stated United States Attorney Breon Peace. “The illicit scheme enriched the defendant’s family to the tune of millions of dollars….”
“Sun wielded her position of influence among executives to covertly promote PRC and CCP agendas, directly threatening our country’s national security”…stated FBI Acting Assistant Director Curtis.
The sorts of things Sun did for the Chinese government included obstructing the access of Taiwanese officials, changing “high-level” messaging of New York State officials so that it would be more palatable to the CCP, and arranging meetings between CCP officials and New York State officials.
Sun also repeatedly violated internal rules and protocols within the New York State government to provide improper benefits to PRC and the CCP representatives, including by providing unauthorized invitation letters from the office of high-level New York State officers that were used to facilitate travel by PRC government officials into the United States for meetings with New York State government officials. Sun’s unauthorized invitation letters for the PRC government delegation constituted false statements made in connection with immigration documents and induced the foreign citizens into unlawfully entering the United States.
Sun never registered as a foreign agent with the Attorney General, and in fact actively concealed that she took actions at the order, request, or direction of PRC government and the CCP representatives.
Sun and her husband racked up millions of dollars and other benefits in return for doing all these little things for the Chinese Communist Party.
Should Sun have been caught sooner? She’s been in state government for 14 years and worked for both Governor Andrew Cuomo and Governor Hochul. Maybe her accommodating of CCP desires was too similar to the kind of corrupt but routine things which many people working in federal or state governments also do, all the while not (knowingly) working as agents for China.
Consider what the Justice Department describes as “changing high-level New York State officers’ messaging regarding issues of importance to the PRC and the CCP.” Sounds like an accusation one might make of Minnesota governor and vice presidential candidate Tim Walz. But Walz, though many things, is not an agent of the Chinese Communist Party. Okay, bad example.
Also see:
StopTheChinazis.org: “Tim Walz, the Communist Anticommunist”
