Arcadia mayor to plead guilty to promoting Chinese | Political News
The DOJ accused Wang of fielding an edit request by a Chinese official, then making the requested adjustments to an article on her web site (Image: abc 7)
A California mayor has agreed to plead guilty to a federal charge of posing as an unlawful international agent and promoting propaganda from China, the U.S. Department of Justice said on Monday.
Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang, 58, had been accused of working a web site meant for Chinese Americans that featured propaganda from China’s authorities. Federal investigators said Wang had acted in the curiosity of China while serving as mayor, moderately than her constituency.
Wang, who agreed to the plea deal in April, may face up to 10 years in prison.
The announcement was made on Monday by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, who was appointed to lead the Los Angeles prosecutor’s workplace by President Donald Trump. Essayli has not acquired Senate affirmation.
“Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang has been charged with violating 18 USC 951, acting in the United States as an illegal agent of the People’s Republic of China,” Essayli wrote in a post on X. “Wang appeared in federal court this afternoon for her arraignment. She agreed to plead guilty and resign from public office.
Wang resigned from the city council, effectively leaving her position as mayor, on Monday, according to the city (Image: X/Eileen1282)
“Wang admitted to performing as a international agent from at least 2020 through 2022. At the direction of the PRC authorities, she coordinated with people to promote PRC pursuits by spreading pro-PRC propaganda in the United States,” Essayli added.
He referred to Wang’s alleged behavior as covertly doing the bidding of the foreign government in order to “undermine our democracy.” He called the plea agreement “the latest success in our dedication to defend the homeland against China’s efforts to corrupt our establishments.”
Wang was elected to Arcadia’s city council in November 2022. Each member of the five-person council serves as the city’s mayor on a rotating basis.
She resigned from the city council, effectively leaving her position as mayor, on Monday, according to the city. The council will choose a new mayor at its next meeting.
Wang’s former fiancé and campaign manager, Yaoning Sun, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of acting as an agent of a foreign government.
The DOJ accused Wang of posting pre-written news articles on her website called “U.S. News Center” (Image: Department of Justice)
The DOJ accused Wang of posting pre-written news articles on her website called “U.S. News Center,” which Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Elbogen said “appeared like a customary news web site that obtained a lot of visitors in the neighborhood.
“If you signed on, it looked kind of like the GWN website does, with lots of different, just regular news updates. Peppered in with the regular news were these items of propaganda,” Elbogen said.
The DOJ also accused Wang of fielding an edit request by a Chinese official, then making the requested adjustments to an article on her web site. She allegedly despatched a screenshot of the up to date article back to the official, which confirmed it had been considered 15,128 occasions.
“Great!” the official reportedly messaged Wang, who replied, “Thank you leader,” according to the DOJ.
“By her own admission, Eileen Wang secretly served the interests of the Chinese government,” said FBI Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky.
“Let this serve as a clear warning: individuals who act on behalf of foreign governments to influence our democracy will be identified, investigated, and brought to justice,” he added.
Stay up to date with the latest developments in politics! Our web site is your go-to source for cutting-edge political news, election updates, authorities insurance policies, political events, marketing campaign methods, and insights into laws. We update our content daily to guarantee you have got access to the freshest info and analysis on voter rights, public opinion, political analysis, election outcomes, political debates, international relations, corruption, activism, and civic engagement.
Explore how these political trends are shaping the future! Visit us often for the most partaking and informative political content by clicking right here. Our rigorously curated articles will keep you informed on grassroots actions, worldwide relations, coverage adjustments, and constitutional points.
