SLATER DEMANDS CRACKDOWN ON CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY ELECTION INTERFERENCE FOLLOWING NEW YORK TIMES EXPOSÉ

Assemblyman Matt Slater (R,C-Yorktown), ranking member of the Assembly Election Law Committee, today issued a rebuke of New York’s failure to enforce state law following a bombshell New York Times investigation exposing the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) use of not-for-profit organizations to illegally interfere in New York elections.

The Times report documented more than 50 organizations tied to the CCP, at least 19 of which were registered charities openly flouting state and federal election laws. According to the report, the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance admitted it “did not have the resources” to police such violations.

Slater called that explanation unacceptable and immediately sent a letter to Commissioner Amanda Hiller demanding swift enforcement action, while also urging Gov. Hochul’s administration to provide additional resources to ensure New York’s election system is not hijacked by hostile foreign actors.

“The Chinese Communist Party has successfully infiltrated New York’s elections while state regulators have willfully looked the other way,” Slater said. “The Department of Taxation and Finance’s refusal to enforce our laws has compromised the integrity of our elections and jeopardized national security. Turning a blind eye is not an option.”

Slater has introduced multiple bills to combat foreign influence in state and local elections, including:

• Assembly Bill 7914, requiring heightened disclosure of foreign-linked nonprofits engaged in political activity.

• Assembly Bill 7852, establishing new safeguards to prevent foreign adversaries from exploiting the state’s charitable system.

This latest exposé follows the arrest of Linda Sun, former deputy chief of staff to Gov. Kathy Hochul, who was charged last year with acting as an unregistered foreign agent for the Chinese Communist Party. Federal prosecutors accused Sun of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud and money laundering conspiracy, all while working inside the highest levels of New York’s government.

Slater said Sun’s case and the recent Times revelations show a systemic failure of leadership in Albany that is putting New Yorkers at risk, stating, “The Times investigation confirms what we have been warning about for years: Hostile foreign powers are exploiting weak enforcement and Albany’s inaction to buy influence and undermine democracy in New York.”

“This isn’t some technicality—it’s a direct assault on our state. First, we find out one of Gov. Hochul’s top aides was moonlighting for the Chinese Communist Party. Now we learn CCP-backed groups have been openly breaking the law while state regulators look the other way, as if it’s no big deal. It is a big deal, and it will affect everything from our ballots to our backyards. Every day this loophole stays open, New Yorkers are less safe and our democracy is weaker. I won’t stop pressing the governor, the Legislature and our regulators until this pipeline of foreign influence is shut down.”