Congress paid significant campaign funds for advertisements in a Chinese foreign agent newspaper.
Members of Congress Paying Chinese-Owned Newspaper as Foreign Agent
For over a decade, members of Congress have been making substantial campaign payments to a Chinese-owned newspaper that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has required to register as a foreign agent. Campaign finance disclosures reviewed by the Washington Examiner reveal that eight Democratic and Republican politicians have collectively paid over $41,500 between 2011 and 2023 for advertisements in Sing Tao U.S. This newspaper, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Sing Tao News Corporation, reported itself as a foreign agent engaged in “political activity” in 2021, according to DOJ filings under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
China’s Influence in the United States
These cash transfers spanning a decade highlight the growing influence of Chinese entities in the United States. In recent years, the U.S. has increased its scrutiny of foreign media and required companies to submit foreign agent reports. Sing Tao U.S., which operates in New York and California, disclosed to the DOJ in August 2021 that over half of its content has been purchased by the Chinese-based Star Production (Shenzhen) Limited.
The Council on Foreign Relations, a nonpartisan think tank, describes China’s government as having one of the “world’s most restrictive media environments,” relying on censorship to control information. Sing Tao Daily, the city’s oldest Chinese language newspaper, has long been considered a pro-Beijing outlet and reportedly has ties to China’s National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
Lawmakers Tied to Sing Tao
One lawmaker connected to Sing Tao is Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), whose campaign paid over $2,800 between 2011 and 2015 for “newspaper advertising.” Eshoo claims that these payments may not have been listed correctly on the Federal Election Commission website and that her lawyers are investigating the matter. She suggests that the payments may be more accurately categorized as nonfederal committee expenses.
Another lawmaker who paid Sing Tao is Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), whose campaign allocated $442 in May for “print advertising.” Previously, her campaign had paid a total of $5,000 between 2020 and 2022 for various purposes, including vaccination ads and general advertising.
Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), who has faced criticism from Republicans for alleged ties to a CCP operative, paid Sing Tao $1,000 in November 2022 for a “print advertisement.” Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) directed $7,300 to Sing Tao in October 2022 for “print ads,” while Rep. Kevin Mullin (D-CA) paid $1,440 for “newspaper ads” in January 2022.
Other politicians, such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), have also made payments to Sing Tao for advertising purposes.
Concerns and Lack of Response
Michael Sobolik, an Indo-Pacific studies fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council think tank, expresses concern over American politicians paying Chinese foreign agents for advertising. He believes it gives the impression of not caring about Beijing’s malign influence.
Despite these revelations, the Ocasio-Cortez, Meng, Malliotakis, Mullin, Warren, and Sanders Senate campaigns have not responded to requests for comment. Rep. Ed Royce, who is now a policy director at the lobbying and law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, has also not provided a response. Royce registered as a foreign agent for Saudi Arabia in 2021 and has lobbied for other countries, including Egypt, according to DOJ filings.
It is crucial for lawmakers to be transparent and cautious when engaging with foreign-owned media outlets, especially those that have registered as foreign agents. The influence of foreign entities on American politics should be carefully scrutinized to protect the integrity of the democratic process.
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