Whitmer Appoints CEO Who Brought Chinese Battery Company to Michigan to Powerful State Board

Michigan Governor Appoints Controversial Chinese Battery Company’s Ally to State Economic Board

Michigan’s Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer has appointed Randy Thelen, CEO of The Right Place, a nonprofit that helped bring a controversial Chinese battery company, Gotion, to Michigan, to the Michigan Strategic Fund. The fund is a powerful state board that approves the distribution of public grants and tax breaks to private businesses. Thelen’s appointment has raised concerns among Michigan residents and elected officials about Gotion’s presence in the state. Gotion’s leader is a known Chinese Communist Party member, and the company’s bylaws require it to “carry out party activities in accordance with the Constitution of the Communist Party of China.”

Controversial Deal

The controversial project that brought Gotion to Michigan is being showered with hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds. The deal has prompted hundreds of Michiganders to hold a rally in opposition to the battery plant, and even Democratic lawmakers have questioned Gotion’s Michigan project. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D., Mich.) acknowledged that she’s “worried” about the project’s national security implications. Michigan’s legislature approved $175 million in state funds to support Gotion, $50 million of which will go to The Right Place to secure “site preparation and land acquisition” for the Chinese company’s plant.

Whitmer’s Decision

Whitmer’s decision to appoint Thelen to the influential state board despite his work with Gotion has raised concerns about the governor’s decision-making and signals her disdain for Michigan residents, according to conservative group Michigan Freedom Fund. The group’s spokeswoman Mary Drabik said in a statement that “appointing Thelen is a clear signal of where the governor’s priorities lie: with China and rewarding those who stand to profit from the Gotion deal.”

Ford’s Partnership with Chinese Battery Giant

Gotion is not the only Chinese company with impending plans to settle in Michigan. American auto giant Ford in February announced plans to build a Michigan electric vehicle battery factory in partnership with Chinese battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL). Ford says the factory will qualify for lucrative federal subsidies under President Joe Biden’s so-called Inflation Reduction Act, which the Democrat said would help the United States “compete with China for the future.” However, Ford’s use of federal funds to partner with CATL has sparked intense criticism from congressional Republicans, with Florida senator Marco Rubio unveiling a bill that would block Ford from earning taxpayer dollars through its Chinese partnership.