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A former top New York state official accused of spying for China once remarked that New York Gov. Kathy Hochul was “much more obedient” than former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Linda Sun made the remark after she convinced Hochul, who served as Cuomo’s lieutenant governor at the time, to film a Lunar New Year video touting China’s New York consulate, the New York Post reported, citing evidence presented at Sun’s corruption trial.
“She is much more obedient than the governor,” Sun wrote to China consular official Lihua Li in a Jan. 25, 2021, message shown to jurors in Brooklyn federal court.
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Minutes later, Sun texted Huang Ping, who headed the consulate office at the time.
“The deputy governor listens to me more than the governor does,” she allegedly wrote, prosecutors said.
Chinese officials had asked for Cuomo to film the video, but Sun told them she could likely get Hochul to participate instead, prosecutors said.
“Let me ask, but likely the LG can probably do it,” Sun replied to Li, referring to Hochul.
“That would be great as well. Thanks,” Li responded.
In the two-minute video, Hochul wishes everyone a happy Lunar New Year and talks about the “privilege” of working with the Chinese American community and the Chinese consular office. Fox News Digital has reached out to Hochul’s office.
Sun, who also served under Hochul, is charged with violating and conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling and money laundering conspiracy.
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Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., reacted in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital as she gears up for a campaign to unseat Gov. Hochul.
“The Worst Governor in America Kathy Hochul not only bent the knee to the radical Socialists but is also fully compromised by the Communist Chinese Party,” Stefanik told Fox News Digital. “Hochul is the Worst Governor in America for New Yorkers, but the most obedient for the Communist Chinese Party. I have a sterling record standing up against Communist China, and there will be no spies infiltrating our state government when we Save New York.”
Prosecutors from the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office believe Sun acted on behalf of the Chinese government on a number of occasions, including seeking a high-level state visit to China and preventing representatives of the Taiwanese government from meeting with American officials.
In 2023, Sun was fired from her position after “evidence of misconduct” was discovered. She is accused of doing favors for Chinese officials in exchange for millions of dollars in business funneled to her husband, Chris Hu, who conducted business in China.
Hu and Sun are accused of using the money to buy property on Long Island and in Honolulu worth more than $6 million, in addition to a 2024 Ferrari Roma sports car.
In one instance, Sun allegedly claimed to be able to stop Cuomo from mentioning the plight of the Uyghurs, the predominantly Muslim ethnic group that has been targeted by the Chinese government through mass incarceration and forced labor, according to human rights advocates.
In the Jan. 25, 2021, exchange with Ping, Sun wrote that she had an “argument” with Cuomo’s speechwriter, who had “insisted” on bringing up the Uyghurs, according to the Post report.
“This person has never been to China, right? He knows very little about China,” Ping replied.
“Never been there,” Sun said. “I’m going to collapse.
“I will think of a solution tomorrow, but I will definitely not let the governor bring it up.”
Sun’s lawyers argued that her relationship with Chinese officials was not improper and was legal.
“Linda Sun did what she was hired to do. She didn’t commit a crime by doing her job,” defense attorney Jarrod Schaeffer told jurors at the start of the trial, the Post reported.
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