DETROIT — Former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers will focus his final days in the Michigan Senate campaign on opposition to the development of a Chinese-owned electric vehicle battery factory called Goshon, which has been the subject of much controversy across the Great Lakes state. The dispute will center on the non-disclosure agreement signed by the faction.
The Post reports that former FBI special agent Rogers plans to blitz his opponent, Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin, for the NDA she and her staff signed regarding the Goshon Project in Big Rapids. Exclusively reported.
Slotkin denies signing an NDA with the government to develop the factory, but admits his staff did. However, the Post viewed two copies that she signed herself.
So, in the final stages, Rodgers will likely press Slotkin to end the drama and be released from his contract.
The Republican blitz includes direct-to-camera video, published opinion pieces and press conferences by Mr. Rogers.
“Mr. Slotkin cannot serve the state of Michigan if he signs secret agreements and deceives voters,” Kate DeTurk, a spokeswoman for the Rogers campaign, told the newspaper. “Michigan voters are asking what Slotkin is hiding. We hope she has the courage to answer.”
The contest between Rodgers and Slotkin is by all accounts a close one, even though Slotkin has a significant fundraising advantage. But last month, as the race heated up, Mr. Slotkin's financial demands took on a more disturbing tone.
“If everyone reading this could donate even $3, we would not only receive a huge number of donations, but we would also reach our budget goals and have the resources we need to win this race. ” her Oct. 19 email said. “And this is especially important because not only is there a lot of outside spending happening against us, but poll after poll shows that we are in a dead heat with our Republican opponents. Because it is shown.”
The Goshon plant is unpopular in Michigan, with Republican Vice Presidential candidate J.D. Vance speaking out against the plant from a local horse farm in late August, leading to publicity for the “No on Goshon” movement. The effect has increased.
The farm that took him in belongs to Lori Block, an anti-Goshon activist who is fighting to prevent a foreign-owned factory from being built across the street.
Since then, Slotkin himself has joined the anti-Gochon movement, citing national security concerns from bringing in a Chinese-owned company with hundreds of Communist Party members on its payroll.
Those concerns crystallized this month when the Justice Department announced spying charges against five Chinese nationals near the Grayling camp. The training facility is located within 160 miles of Gothion.
“For me, I don't like moving forward with any project or selling any farmland until there's a national security review.” Slotkin said in September.. “I think we need to think not only about the economy, but also about the impact that Chinese-related companies have on national security.”
Slotkin tried, With some help from Michigan Mediashe signed with Gotion to distance herself from the NDA. Slotkin's team previously denied in comments to the Post that she had signed the deal.
But the charges persisted, and Mr. Slotkin was unable to disassociate himself from a project he had no reason to be involved in as a Washington lawmaker.
Republicans see Slotkin's double-talk about signing a non-disclosure agreement and then refusing to do so as part of a trend of dishonesty in her Senate campaign.
“Elissa Slotkin signed an NDA to help a Chinese Communist Party-affiliated company buy hundreds of acres of farmland in Michigan. And now she's lying about it.” commission spokeswoman Maggie Abboud told the Post. “Instead of continuing his pathological lies, Mr. Slotkin needs to come clean to Michigan voters about what Goshon knew and when.”
At Enjoyer.com, Charlie LeDuff reports that Slotkin has also signed an NDA for the Korean project.
