In a recent letter to New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, Claudia Tenney, a Republican federal congresswoman from the United States Congress, expressed serious concerns regarding the case of former Deputy Chief of Staff of New York State, Sun Wen, who was acting as a secret agent for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Tenney urged Governor Hochul to thoroughly investigate the impact of Sun Wen’s case on the New York State government and economy and to sincerely apologize to affected Taiwan partners.
Tenney, in a post on social media on Thursday (September 5), stated, “There is a CCP operative at the highest levels of Governor Hochul’s administration. I am requesting an investigation to fully expose Sun Wen’s actions and their impact on our government and economy.”
In a letter dated September 3 addressed to Hochul, Tenney urged the Governor to appoint a bipartisan group to investigate the actions of Hochul and her administration, as well as the comprehensive impact of Ms. Sun Wen on the New York State government and economy.
According to the letter, “Based on the indictment by the Department of Justice, Ms. Sun routinely removed anti-CCP or pro-Taiwan remarks from statements by New York State officials, utilized New York State government resources to assist CCP officials in entering the United States, obstructed requests for meetings by anti-CCP or pro-Taiwan organizations, and used her position for personal material gain. While these actions have only recently come to light, we are still unclear on the full impact of Ms. Sun’s actions on the New York State government or economy.”
Congresswoman Tenney requested Hochul to investigate the connection between Sun Wen’s case and the secret police station established by the CCP in New York State.
The letter stated, “These revelations also raise questions about the numerous policy decisions made by your administration and the influence of Ms. Sun on those decisions (if any). For example, many reports have detailed the existence of a secret police station run by the CCP in New York City to monitor, intimidate, and control the Chinese community, with the New York State failing to take firm action against these police stations. Did Ms. Sun play any role in the decision to allow these police stations to operate?”
Additionally, Congresswoman Tenney earnestly requested Hochul to respond to the following questions by September 18:
1. When did you become aware that Ms. Sun was an exposed CCP operative? Was it before or after the Department of Justice notified you?
2. Given that Ms. Sun repeatedly attempted to censor speeches by New York State officials to align with CCP talking points, have you ever suspected that Ms. Sun may have an improper relationship with the CCP?
3. Can you provide a list of the number of meetings you had with officials from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) or the Taiwan Representative Office (TECRO) during your tenure as Governor and Lieutenant Governor of New York State (if any)? Please also list the number of meetings you had with CCP officials during your tenure as Governor and Lieutenant Governor.
4. Will you commit to meeting with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office and apologizing for Ms. Sun’s attempts to prohibit them from formal meetings with New York State officials?
5. Do you recognize the critical role the trade relationship between New York State and Taiwan plays in our economy, as well as the importance of maintaining close ties with Taiwan?
6. Will you commit to formally recognizing Taiwan-American Heritage Week in 2025?
7. Do you acknowledge the ongoing genocide against the Uyghur people in Xinjiang, China by the CCP? Do you regret not including statements (condemning) these atrocities in your 2021 Chinese New Year video as per Ms. Sun’s intervention?
8. Ms. Sun owns a 2024 Ferrari sports car, is she suspected of improper payments?
9. If so, what measures have you taken to ensure that there are no other CCP operatives involved within your government?
10. If so, what measures have you taken to ensure that CCP agents are not allowed to enter your government?
On Tuesday morning (September 3), Sun Wen and her husband, Chris Hu, were arrested at their home on Long Island by the FBI. Subsequently, the U.S. Department of Justice released an indictment accusing Sun Wen of acting as a secret agent for the CCP, in violation and conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and money laundering conspiracy.
Sun Wen is also charged with using her position within the New York State government to clandestinely advance CCP’s agenda and threaten national security in the United States.
Sun Wen’s husband and co-defendant, Chris Hu, is also charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, bank fraud, and the misuse of identity documents.
This case has stirred up significant concerns about potential CCP infiltration within the New York State administration and raised questions about the broader implications of Sun Wen’s actions on government policies and economic affairs. The call for a comprehensive investigation and accountability underlines the importance of maintaining transparency, integrity, and national security in governmental operations.