The recent indictments of two suspected Chinese agents in California reveal how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is trying to turn the United States into a “hunting ground” for dissidents, according to Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.).
The two individuals attempted to bribe an undercover officer posing as an IRS agent, in a plot to revoke the tax-exempt status of an entity run and maintained by Falun Gong practitioners, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). They were arrested at their residences on May 26 and face charges of conspiracy, bribery, and money laundering.
“This is another example of just how the CCP (the Communist Chinese Party) is doing all they can to undermine our sovereignty [and] silence all dissent, even in our country,” Newhouse told EpochTV’s “Crossroads” on May 30.
While Attorney General Merrick Garland has characterized the case as part of China’s “campaign of transnational repression” in the United States, Newhouse gave a blunt assessment of the situation.
“This is a foreign government that is committing crimes against those that it deems to be a threat, right here on American soil,” Newhouse said.
The two suspected Chinese agents—John Chen from Chino City, California, and Lin Feng from Los Angeles—carried out their bribery scheme from January to May this year, according to prosecutors.
Read more: Republicans Call for Action as China Turns US Into ‘Hunting Ground’ for Dissidents
