“By her own admission, Eileen Wang secretly served the interests of the Chinese government,” officials say. She was elected mayor of Arcadia in 2022 and has resigned.
Prosecutors said that Wang and Yaoning “Mike” Sun promoted “pro-PRC propaganda” in the U.S. through a website titled “U.S. News Center.” PRC refers to the People’s Republic of China.
Sun pleaded guilty in October to one count of acting as a foreign agent and is serving a four-year prison sentence, the U.S. attorney’s office said.
Wang’s plea agreement says she admits she acted as an agent of China’s government and did not notify the U.S. attorney general as required.
The agreement says Wang and Sun “received and executed directives from PRC government officials to post pro-PRC content on the website” and sometimes sought permission from Chinese government officials to post content.
I saw this same story on TikTok earlier today, after a friend sent me the link. I left a comment along the lines of “Oh no, not Chinese propaganda! Everyone knows you’re only allowed to use the news to push American and Israeli propaganda!”
It was quickly removed for a Community Guideline violation. The irony would be funny if it didn’t inspire so much existential nihilism.
So reading the comments i learned that i could travel to the US. Register myself as a Swiss agent. Buy a 9 mm with a silencer and a suit and just start gathering information?
This timeline is wild.
Gömmer?
Ästagsch ;)
Yes.
Weirdly the silencer/suppressor part foils your plan. You have to Form 1 that with the ATF and its a no-go in California unless you’re law enforcement or a licensed Armorer for Hollywood.
Thanks, that leaves 49 states where i also need to fill out Form 1.
The Californians seem to have prepared ;)
B-but … she resigned! How can she be in jail if she resigned? Resigning absolves politicians of any and all crimes!
How high was the Dow?
So what are the chances she was actually an agent for the Chinese Government? Slightly better than 0? Actually 0?
She… she plead guilty.
So… 1, 0.99, very high likelihood.
This isn’t like an accused street criminal getting basically conned into pleading guilty because the cops planted evidence and got a false witness to make a false testimony.
This is a person who would not be targeted by that kind of thing and can afford good lawyers.
She was the mayor.
Arcadia in the news. I’m only surprised it wasn’t Gardena instead.
^ This guy knows their LA Asian cities.
Only didn’t happen in Alhambra or Monterrey Park because they’re incorporated in LA City, haha.
deleted by creator
I’m sorry, what did she do that is considered illegal? Is that not free speech?
Unless the “propaganda” was making death threats, there’s nothing illegal about intentionally spreading foreign propaganda, is there?
she acted as an agent of China’s government and did not notify the U.S. attorney general as required.
The crime is not the speech. And propaganda, even foreign propaganda, is not illegal. The crime is being an unregistered foreign agent.
If you do work for a foreign government in the United States, you have to register as such with the US government.
you have to register as such with the US government.
You very clearly don’t, you just have to be working for Russia and its fine.
This is why Tim Pool got in trouble last year when it was revealed that most of his income was from Russia - The money or his statements weren’t illegal, but he never registered, even though he should’ve known. He only got away with it because he is in fact dumber than what most people realize; He genuinely seems like he didn’t know he was in fact paid by the russian state.
And white. He got away with it because he’s white.
No he got away with it because fascist and establishing a guilty mind requires proving a mind.
fascistcapitalist.but… i repeat myself.
I knew someone who knew beanie baldie. He apparently always acts like he had no idea, weasels out of shit, and talks down to people around him it’s who he is. He knew, he rehearsed, and squirmed away. He’s always been a damned snake according to them.
And especially you have to disclose it if you work for the US government at the same time. It’s very basic conflict of interest stuff.
And just for clarity’s sake, I have contracts with local governments, and in the process of initially getting and subsequently renewing them, I fill out a bunch of forms about whether or not I have relationships (paraphrasing) with numerous countries, Iran, Belarus, Russia. Oddly enough, no China.
This being said, I don’t know for sure, but I’m curious if not only was it a lie by omission, but she knowingly submitted false statements via these forms or similar.
Oh shit american politicians lying.
It seems like a relatively elegant system, you’re totally allowed to be a foreign agent/diplomat/ambassador in the US, you just need to be upfront about it. A Spy may in fact fill very similar roles, or work toward similar goals, but the major difference is that a spy is someone who does it in secret.
I can’t think of the last time there was some actual spy drama In the news, this is all pretty novel to me.
Last time it was the president we re elected current guy
If you do work for a foreign government in the United States, you have to register as such with the US government.
Unless you’re a Republican like Mike Flynn
Or literally any of the other Republicans, including Trump
Only conscious beings can violate laws. Mens rea bitch.
If you do work for a foreign government in the United States, you have to register as such with the US government.
Unless it’s Israel.
There is no reason to assume they’re not all registered. If they weren’t registered, how else would they get all the invitations and access they’re expected to?
Not exactly - this actually came up in court before. In 2005 they dismissed a case brought against AIPAC to force them to register, even though this law is supposed to apply to lobbying groups that represent foreign interests.
I was just being sarcastic and taking a cheap shot.
Sure, but it’s important that people know Israel is the exception. They always are.
Seems silly to ask spies to tell you they are spies, but at the same time it works while also not making more types of speech itself illegal to stop spies that are simply promoting another country/government. 🤔
It’s not for spies, they’re the ones who don’t register. But diplomats and others legitimately working on behalf of a foreign nation are the ones expected to register.
Kinda dumb these days. I’d much rather have my mayor working for like China or Russia instead of the thugs who are going to kill me with their free grenade launchers.
So is it being paid by Beijing then? If so that makes perfect sense.
Apparently there’s a separate count of bribery in this case, so yes. But you can be guilty of the foreign agent crime if you take direction from the foreign government, even if no money changes hands.
As a secondary issue, the US does not have free speech. Maybe on paper but not in practice
She acted as an foreign agent without notifying the government.
Yes, I’m aware. Does posting news articles really count as “acting as a foreign agent” though? It’s not like she was exfiltrating national secrets.
Yes it does if you do it being paid and directed by foreign country.
Ah, that’s what I was missing, and the article didn’t seem to mention at all. If you’re being paid by a foreign government while being paid by the domestic government that is a conflict of interest.
pleaded guilty to bribery
Ah yeah upon rereading again this is the phrase I missed.
based
Did ml amd hex bear kick you out? Why are you on .world?
i bring the good news
Remember kids- Tankies, like fascists, aren’t people! Punch 'em!
If there’s one thing liberals and fascists agree on, it’s that communists aren’t human.
Tankies aren’t commies. Try again.
the definition of “tankie” disagrees with you, you should contact everybody else on Earth and let them know they’ve made a horrible mistake!
Lots of tankies are communists, don’t be silly
Here’s the origin of the term…
tankie noun
A member of the Communist Party of Great Britain who slavishly followed the Kremlin line, agreeing with the crushing of revolts in Hungary and later Czechoslovakia by Soviet tanks
… and the modern usage follows
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tankie
excerpt…
Tankie is a pejorative label generally applied to authoritarian communists
Uh huh. Well, the Trump administration is officially designating anyone with “anti-Christian,” “anti-capitalism” or “anti-American” views as a terrorist. Do you fit any of those? Then you’ll put put in the concentration camp right along side of me unless we fucking together and you stop punching left.
Tankies aren’t “left”
Perhaps to you… meanwhile, on Earth, “communism” is often considered “left”, and “tankies” are often communists.
Answer the question: “anti-Christian,” “anti-capitalism” or “anti-American” - do you fit any of those?
Because you’ll die in a camp right beside me unless we work together. When the US starts rounding up dissidents into camps, US enemies are going to be the only ones that might help us. Europe won’t dare disagree with daddy.
You’re not a commie, despite what you claim. You’re just a fascist that likes the Chinese and Russian flavors instead of American. No one wants you, or likes you. Please go away.
Nobody is going to defend someone who identifies with the crimes against humanity supported by tankies. This is lemmy, there are plenty of communists here who also have a conscience. If you dont see any problem with authoritarian regimes contempt for human life, than frankly you arent different enough from Trump to be worth anyones support.
I can recognize what the bigger problem is. Don’t you believe in supporting the lesser evil?
We hang together or they’ll hang us separately.
33 ppl west brained
Not based. She’s a piece of shit.
better than u r
Meanwhile all the Russian agents are working in the White House and Congress.
pretty much, chinese still seen as the boogeyman of the gop. besides trump, there is TULSI GABBARD, MOSCOW mitch, CLARENCE THOMAS who is a collectible for harlan crow. Most if it not all of the fox talking heads are funded by putin some form or another(Murdoch being the middle man).
Would still take her over a Republican
I mean, I’m not saying I agree but I get where you’re coming from!
