Investigation Called for into Hochul’s Administration
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has requested an investigation into Governor Kathy Hochul’s administration following the revelation that her aides maintained connections with Chinese government officials. This came to light after the firing of Linda Sun, a former official who had ties with the Beijing government.
Sun, who previously served as chief of staff to both Hochul and her predecessor, Andrew Cuomo, faced federal charges that resulted in a mistrial last month. Prosecutors are planning to retry Sun in Albany, accusing him of illegally promoting Chinese policies.
After Sun’s dismissal in 2023, records indicate that Hochul’s office was still considering hosting a delegation from Henan province—the same area linked to Sun’s criminal case, according to Blakeman.
“When someone in government is implicated as a suspect of being a Chinese Communist Party agent, the right response should be to tighten security and cut ties, not to carry on as if nothing happened,” Blakeman stated, suggesting that Hochul did exactly the opposite.
Blakeman, who is running against Hochul in the upcoming 2026 gubernatorial race, highlighted ongoing communications between her administration and Henan officials. A recent report claimed an aide to Hochul expressed that the governor was “pleased to hear from” the province’s officials.
There are indications that, although Sun was let go in March 2023, Hochul’s administration continued to engage with Chinese representatives. Records show they discussed a possible delegation visit in July 2023 aimed at enhancing cooperation in trade, finance, education, culture, and tourism.
Emails revealed that the then-Assistant Secretary for Administration and Operations, Greg Lorjust, communicated positively with his Henan counterpart about the visit. Elaine Huang, who succeeded Sun in dealing with Asian affairs, was involved in these discussions until November 2023.
Interestingly, Huang has familial ties to the Chinese Communist Party, which raises further questions about the administration’s relationships with Chinese officials.
Blakeman argued that an inquiry into Hochul’s ties with Chinese entities and the management of internal security risks is necessary. He emphasized that federal warnings have consistently pointed to the Chinese Communist Party targeting local and state governments to push their agenda.
“A government like the Chinese Communist Party, known for espionage and coercive tactics, should have no role in New York state government,” he added.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Hochul dismissed the allegations as unfounded, asserting that no meetings between the governor and the Chinese officials have occurred, and that the correspondence is merely standard procedure.
Huang, who previously worked on Scott Stringer’s mayoral campaign, has voiced her concerns about reputational harm from these allegations.
Sun has maintained his innocence, denying the charges of being an illegal agent for China in exchange for luxury amenities.
