[LFC Comments: Thanks to Linda Goudsmit for sending us this article. We will publish all articles we find or receive about Americans taking money or trips from the CCP. No more lies, deceptions or betrayals. They will reap what they sow.]

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Written by: Natalie Winters January 1, 2021

The National Pulse today is publishing a comprehensive list of all current and former elected U.S. officials who participated in sponsored trips to China on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party-tied China-United States Exchange Foundation. 

The full list follows a National Pulse exposé on media participants of the China-United States Exchange Foundation (CUSEF) sponsored trip to China – the Communist Party-linked propaganda group seeking “favorable coverage” from U.S. institutions.

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LFC Insert: Please click on the “expose” above. It will reveal the names of the legacy media that meets with the CCP. Here are some excerpts from the prior article dated December 29, 2020.

CUSEF is a Chinese Communist Party-funded initiative founded by Tung Chee Hwa. The group also targets American universities with offers to fund policy research, high-level dialogues, and exchange programs.

Tung also serves as Vice-Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), identified by the U.S.-China Security and Economic Review Commission as a key component of the Chinese Communist Party’s United Work Front.

LFC searched for American Lobbying Firm mentioned in the article: https://www.bljworldwide.com/about-us

Peter Brown

Chairman & CEO

Peter Brown’s mark in the worlds of music, entertainment, and communications began as part of the management team for The Beatles. With the death of Brian Epstein, Peter assumed full responsibility for their management. He was asked to become Managing Director of Apple Corps at its formation, and supervised its day-to-day operations.

“The effort, according to the U.S. government report, aims to “to co-opt and neutralize sources of potential opposition to the policies and authority of its ruling Chinese Communist Party.”

“The United Front strategy uses a range of methods to influence overseas Chinese communities, foreign governments, and other actors to take actions or adopt positions supportive of Beijing’s preferred policies,” it continues.

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CUSEF’s efforts to “to co-opt and neutralize sources of potential opposition to the policies and authority of its ruling Chinese Communist Party” and “influence overseas Chinese communities, foreign governments, and other actors to take actions or adopt positions supportive of Beijing’s preferred policies” go right to the top of U.S. politics.

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LFC Insert: Here is the Executive Summary from the link above. Interesting that the report says the Chinese borrowed the idea from the Soviet Union. Good grief, the Chinese cannot come up with their own ideas they have to steal ideas from everyone – corporations as well as countries.

China’s Overseas United Front Work
Background and Implications for the United States

Executive Summary (Written August 24, 2018)
China uses what it calls “United Front” work to co-opt and neutralize sources of potential opposition to the policies and authority of its ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The CCP’s United Front Work Department (UFWD)— the agency responsible for coordinating these kinds of influence operations—mostly focuses on the management of potential opposition groups inside China, but it also has an important foreign influence mission.

To carry out its influence activities abroad, the UFWD directs “overseas Chinese work,” which seeks to co-opt ethnic Chinese individuals and communities living outside China, while a number of other key affiliated organizations guided by China’s broader United Front strategy conduct influence operations targeting foreign actors and states. (Emphasis added)

Some of these entities have clear connections to the CCP’s United Front strategy, while others’ linkage is less explicit. Organizations such as Chinese Students and Scholars Associations are less directly tied to the main United Frontrelated organizational structure, but many of their activities and acceptance of oversight from the CCP shows some level of guidance from the United Front strategy.

Today, United Front-related organizations are playing an increasingly important role in China’s broader foreign policy under Chinese President and General Secretary of the CCP Xi Jinping. It is precisely the nature of United Front work to seek influence through connections that are difficult to publically [sic] prove and to gain influence that is interwoven with sensitive issues such as ethnic, political, and national identity, making those who seek to identify the negative effects of such influence vulnerable to accusations of prejudice. (Emphasis added)

Because of the complexities of this issue, it is crucial for the U.S. government to better understand Beijing’s United Front strategy, its goals, and the actors responsible for achieving them if it is to formulate an effective and comprehensive response. This staff report provides an overview of the United Front, its history and ideology, the structure and operations of the UFWD and other organizations carrying out United Front work, and the implications of this activity for the United States.

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CUSEF has sponsored trips for the following representatives in a variety of ways, including trade missions and a Heartland Mayor Delegation Trip to China for current elected officials.Representatives have also participated after departing their Congressional positions, per original National Pulse research into the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) filings between CUSEF and its American lobbying firm BLJ Worldwide.

The “Former U.S. Congressmen Program” with participants “chosen based on their seniority and relevance to US-China relations during their time in Congress, as well as their open-minded perspective to China,” notes in summary:

“Former Congressmen can visit with current and former politicians in China, university professors and students, think tanks, and businesspeople to deepen their understanding of China’s peaceful development. Additionally, cultural activities and touring historic sites can also provide further context into the history of China’s development. Such visits will also help inform Chinese officials and thinkers about America’s perspectives of current domestic and foreign affairs issues that are relevant to China.”

Here is a memo from BLJ explaining the Formeer U.S. Congressmen Program:

And following each visit, CUSEF and its lobbying firm would “work with the former Congressmen to create reports on their experiences that will be distributed to politicians, experts, and other relevant individuals and organizations in the US.”

Chinese Communist Congress (and other elected officials):

• Congressman Timothy Roemer (D-IN)
• Congressman Cliff Stearns (R-FL)
• Congressman Mike Ross (D-AR)
• Congressman Jim McCrery (R-LA)
• Congressman Thomas Petri (R-WI)
• Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND)
• Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND)
• Senator John Sununu (R-NH)
• Congressman Jon Christensen (R-NE)
• Congressman Jim Slattery (D-KS)
• Congressman Steve Bartlett (R-TX)
• Congressman Don Bonker (D-WA)
• Congressman Phil English (R-PA)
• Congressman Martin Frost (D-TX)
• Congressman Barbara Kennelly (D-CT)
• Congresswoman Connie Morella (R-MD)
• Congressman John Tanner (D-TN)
• Governor Bob Holden (D-MO)
• Mayor James Brainard (R-IN)
• Mayor Paul TenHaken (R-IA)
  
• ***** Mayor Jamael Tito Brown (D-OH) *****
  LFC Insert: https://youngstownohio.gov/mayor
  
• ***** Mayor Richard Carr (R-OH) *****
  LFC Insert: https://www.wtol.com/article/news/local/ohio-ethics-commission-violation-maumee-mayor-rich-carr/512-da15cdb3-c281-4f51-af14-bed677bad26b
  
• Lieutenant Governor Michael Fedele (R-CT)
• State Representative Mark Parkinson (R-ID)
• Governor Jim Folsom Jr. (D-AL)
• Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton (D-WI)
• Brian Rolicki
• State Senator Steve Harrelson (D-AK)
• State Senator Mark Norris (R-TN)
• State Representative Robbie Wills (D-AK)
• State Representative Jim Tucker (R-LA)
• State Representative Seth Hammett (D-AL)
• State Senator Ron Richard (R-MO)
• State Senator Chuck Colgan (D-VA)
• Lieutenant Governor Cyrus Habib (D-WA)
• Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch (R-WI)
• Congresswoman-Elect Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY)
• State Representative Clarice Navarro (R-CO)
• Commissioner Bridget Gainer (D-IL)
• Mayor Michael Copeland (KS)
• Treasurer Tishaura Jones (D-MO)
• Congressman Charles Boustany (R-LA)
• State Representative L.F. Payne (D-VA)
• Congressman Gary Franks (R-CT)
• Congressman Brian Baird (D-WA)
• Congressman Mike Mclntyre (D-NC)

The following pictures were included in CUSEF’s promotional brochures.

The first image shows the 2019 Heartland Mayor Delegation visiting China, followed by images of local elected officials meeting with Chinese Communist Party apparatchiks in 2008 and 2009:

Another image included U.S. Lieutenant Governors and State Legislative Presiding Officers:

Natalie Winters

Natalie Winters is a Senior Reporter at the National Pulse and producer of The National Pulse TV show.

Categories: CCP, Uncategorized

Tags: FT