‘Pretty Gross’: How a Network of Retired Lawmakers Boosts CCP Influence in Washington
As Beltway institutions cut ties with Chinese Communist Party front groups, a group of former congressmen has kept a close relationship with a think tank that oversees Beijing’s foreign influence efforts.
The Association of Former Members of Congress, a networking hub for former lawmakers, has hosted multiple events since 2020 for the China-United States Exchange Foundation, the CCP’s leading foreign influence think tank. The Exchange Foundation sponsors the association’s annual awards gala, which will be held next month, and it has worked hand-in-glove with the Exchange Foundation’s lobbyist to host policy events where pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong have been blamed on "foreign forces" and the United States has been accused of directing "vitriol" toward China.
"It’s really murky and pretty gross," said Dylan Hedtler–Gaudette, government affairs manager at the Project on Government Oversight, a nonpartisan transparency group. Hedtler-Gaudette says the overlapping ties between Capitol Counsel, the Exchange Foundation, and the Association of Former Members of Congress constitute a "shadow lobbying operation."
The arrangement shows the extent of the Chinese Communist Party’s propaganda operation in the United States. It also highlights a type of influence peddling prevalent in Washington, where consulting firms work with think tanks and nonprofit organizations on behalf of corporate clients and foreign entities, often without disclosing the connections.
Since launching in 2008, the Exchange Foundation has donated heavily to American universities, think tanks, and nonprofit organizations to access their spheres of influence. The group has come under scrutiny in recent years over its involvement in the Chinese Communist Party’s "united front" system, which Beijing uses to wield influence overseas. CIA director William Burns said he cut ties with the Exchange Foundation when he served as president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace because of the group’s aggressive efforts to influence American views toward China.
The Association of Former Members of Congress, which boasts ties to more than 200 sitting members of Congress and senior staffers, is one of the few Beltway organizations that maintains a relationship with the Exchange Foundation. The group has hosted or taken part in at least eight policy discussions with the Exchange Foundation since 2020, according to a review by the Washington Free Beacon.
For John Dotson, a China-watcher at the Global Taiwan Institute, the Exchange Foundation has displayed a "continued pattern" of lobbying to access Beltway power centers. The think tank once worked with Democratic lobbyist Tony Podesta and sponsored research at the think tank his brother John founded, the Center for American Progress. Dotson has written before about the Exchange Foundation’s "lobby laundering," including its work with the Podesta Group and Capitol Counsel.
Founded by Democratic lobbyist John Raffaelli, Capitol Counsel has represented the Exchange Foundation since 2014. Capitol Counsel’s filings under the Foreign Agents Registration Act show it agreed to facilitate "coalition building" with the Association of Former Members of Congress on behalf of the Exchange Foundation. Capitol Counsel lobbyist Martin Gold has hosted policy discussions at the association on behalf of the Exchange Foundation about a controversial national security law in Hong Kong, the state of U.S.-Chinese economic relations in the wake of COVID-19, and a discussion of the summit between President Joe Biden and Chinese president Xi Jinping.
Capitol Counsel is connected directly to the association through former congressman Charles Boustany (R., La.), a partner at Capitol Counsel and the association’s president. Boustany has led several China policy discussions for the association, including two events sponsored this year by the Exchange Foundation. Boustany took part in a virtual event last month to mark the 50th anniversary of President Richard Nixon’s trip to China. He expressed support for China’s position on Taiwan and was critical of Trump-era trade restrictions on China. Boustany has interviewed lawmakers at other Association of Former Members of Congress events, highlighting the group’s continued access to Capitol Hill.
The overlapping financial interests between Capitol Counsel, the Exchange Foundation, and the Association of Former Members of Congress are not always made clear at events. Capitol Counsel discloses in its filings with the Justice Department that it arranges policy discussions on behalf of the Exchange Foundation, but the lobbying firm does not acknowledge they were hosted by the Association of Former Members of Congress. The Exchange Foundation’s affiliation with the Chinese government is also not disclosed at the association’s panel discussions.
The lack of disclosure was on display during a July 27, 2020, panel discussion on a national security law passed in Hong Kong. Gold, the Capitol Counsel lobbyist, interviewed three former senators and Allan Zeman, a Hong Kong-based businessman. Zeman echoed unfounded claims from Chinese officials and state-run media outlets that "foreign forces" were behind demonstrations against the national security law. While Gold acknowledged his own work with the China-U.S. Exchange Foundation, he did not disclose that Zeman is a counselor for the think tank.
The Exchange Foundation pays Capitol Counsel $180,000 a year for its consulting services, according to the firm’s foreign agent disclosures. The think tank also pays the Association of Former Members of Congress to sponsor its annual gala, though it is unclear how much. Capitol Counsel and the Association of Former Members of Congress did not respond to requests for comment.
The lack of disclosures about the financial relationship leaves consumers of the association's events in the dark about who is funding the events, said Hedtler-Gaudette of the Project on Government Oversight.
"It’s not good that all these former members of Congress are involved in this way, but aren’t captured in a disclosure framework," Hedtler-Gaudette told the Free Beacon.
The only reason that Biden became president is because Democrat campaign workers, posing as journalists, buried a truthful story about the Biden family corruption that most of them knew was true. They still intentionally hide the truth of the depth and breadth of the corruption from the public because they know Biden's and other Democrats’ poll numbers would be much worse if the public knew the truth.
THE BIDEN CRIME MAFIA - 50 YEARS OF BRIBES
A 'corrupt family occupies the White House'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8EeTFlXWk0
May The Truth Be With You
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzbJnkGFGA4''
A FEW HUNDRED REASONS WHY LAWYER-POLITICIANS SHOULD BE BANNED FROM SEEKING ELECTIVE OFFICE:
MOST ARE SOCIOPATHS AND BRIBES SUCKING GAMERS OF THE LAW ALL ARE DESPERATE PARASITES EAGER TO GET AT THE MONEY NO MATTER ANYTHING!
THE BIDEN CRIME MAFIA - 50 YEARS OF BRIBES
A 'corrupt family occupies the White House'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8EeTFlXWk0
Schweizer: Independent Counsel Needed to Investigate Hunter Biden
1 May 20220
1:28
In an interview set to air on Sunday’s broadcast of Fox News Channel’s “Life, Liberty & Levin,” Breitbart News senior contributor and Government Accountability Institute president Peter Schweizer said an independent counsel would be required to investigate Hunter Biden’s financial dealings given the potential conflict of interest for his father, President Joe Biden.
Schweizer, the author of Red-Handed: How American Elites Get Rich Helping China Win, also warned the case could be settled outside of court without public knowledge.
“This is a tailor-made case for an independent counsel,” Schweizer said. “It’s an investigation involving the family of the president. The attorney general is, of course, appointed by the president. And he’s the one who’s going to direct this U.S. attorney that has this grand jury in Delaware — so you need an independent counsel.”
“There is lots of evidence … some of that money ended up with Joe Biden,” he added. “The money was fungible. It moved around. It went to James Biden and others.”
Schweizer also told FNC host Mark Levin the investigation might find opposition from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) because of the business interests that McConnell and his wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, have abroad.
Follow Jeff Poor on Twitter @jeff_poor
video - shocking facts on joe biden's staggering corruption1
Sen. Johnson blasts DHS's new misinformation board as 'Orwellian'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmZXE9etS0M
JOE BIDEN = MENTAL!
They’ll Say Anything For Money
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avaSx-dDJTc
Just Blame The Other Guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9tqKMcPn5I
He Used Mind Control
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egMUZRO0bdI
Joe Biden is 'ghosting' Kamala Harris
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91HP_jShzlM
Ted Cruz: Red ‘tsunami’ coming in November
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmnYOweJFKs
WHERE WAS THE FBI WHEN GAMER LAWYER JOE BIDEN WAS SUCKING THE BRIBES
Joe Biden paid $800k in legal fees for Hunter according to email
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MV_s4y-kxm4
Watters: The Five (CRIME) Families of the Democrat Party
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBpvvHethg0
WHERE DID ALL OF GAMER LAWYER JOE BIDEN’S BIG BUCKS COME FROM?
video
Where did Biden's millions come from?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlS88MKI-DA
I’d be inclined to disagree with Don except for one thing: Biden has proven to be a very adept criminal mastermind. For decades, he has funneled millions of dollars to his children and siblings and, especially, to his debauched, deviant son, Hunter. ANDREA WIDBURG
There it is. That's the issue. To begin, you have the corrupt family Biden. They've been scamming us and our system well for almost fifty years. The man is supposedly worth over 250 million dollars. How is this possible on his salary? It's not. So where did his wealth come from? Not from being a brilliant businessman. DAVID PRENTICE
JOE BIDEN: CHINA AND RUSSIA’S RENT BOY!
Trouble? JUST FOLLOW THE MONEY, A LIMP A.G AND JOE'S PRESIDENTIAL PARDON
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5tpepm_z_Y
VIDEOS
THE BIDEN'S AND THEIR CHINESE PAYMASTERS
The Hunter Biden dam is about to burst: Devine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP15lm7FXwQ
Hunter Biden could end up with no jail time: Jesse Watters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anjGQ285McE
The critical element required is a pattern of criminal or racketeering activity. This pattern is proved by showing two predicate crimes were committed within ten years. The list of predicate crimes is extensive and includes bribery, embezzlement, fraud, theft, money laundering, and obstruction of justice.
Will Hunter take jail time to protect his father?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSeq7K-goWc
Joe Biden's supporters are strangely quiet as his presidency descends into crisis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snbzNXpsA9M
Watters: Biden's White House is in shambles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svfxquUMQSM
THE BIDEN'S AND BANKSTERS
A FAMILY OF BRIBES SUCKING PARASITE LAWYERS
The Tragic Tale of Hunter Biden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9KO1u6z4WM
Hunter Biden Laptop Interview Body Language (2021)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKw7CuLzwhU
Kamala Saves The Day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_VX7in8_tc'
Hunter Biden emails reportedly reveal attempted $120 million oil deal with China
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzCXxpxK-qU
Tucker: This is Biden-style Democracy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuwYRXPm5ls
SHOCKING VIDEO!
THERE IS NO GREATER THREAT TO AMERICA THAN JOE BIDEN!
Watters: Biden’s new business partners are evil
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg3VXBdMRyk
NY Times sues for info on Hunter Biden's business dealings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTeqMElZsac
Watters: The Five (CRIME) Families of the Democrat Party
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBpvvHethg0
THE BIDEN KLEPTOCRACY
American people deserve to know what China was up to with Joe Biden, especially when Beijing had already shelled out millions of dollars to Biden family members — including millions in set-asides for “the big guy.” What else is on that infamous Hunter Biden laptop? The conflicted Biden Justice Department cannot be trusted to engage in any meaningful oversight on this issue. We need a special counsel now. TOM FITTON - JUDICIAL WATCH
Hunter Biden emails reportedly reveal attempted $120 million oil deal with China
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzCXxpxK-qU
Tucker: This is Biden-style Democracy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuwYRXPm5ls
SHOCKING VIDEO!
THERE IS NO GREATER THREAT TO AMERICA THAN JOE BIDEN!
Watters: Biden’s new business partners are evil
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg3VXBdMRyk
NY Times sues for info on Hunter Biden's business dealings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTeqMElZsac
Watters: The Five (CRIME) Families of the Democrat Party
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBpvvHethg0
Hunter Biden emails reportedly reveal attempted $120 million oil deal with China
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzCXxpxK-qU
Schweizer added, “We also now know that Hunter Biden did these deals, but the larger family benefited. We know that James Biden, Joe Biden’s brother, got at least $2 million of that money from China. We also now know that Hunter Biden was subsidizing his father’s lifestyle. He was paying for his bills. He was paying for renovations on his home up in Delaware while Joe Biden was Vice President of the United States. It’s not only illegal according to ethics laws. It also shows that Joe Biden is now a beneficiary of the foreign dealings that Hunter Biden has had. It’s no longer good enough for him to say, well, I didn’t have anything involved. He was a beneficiary.” PAM KEY
Peter Schweizer Video: Hunter Biden Tells Secret Service Not To Accompany Him Overseas
A very strange – and telling – "request".
Law enforcement officials across the southern border blame the Chinese app TikTok for facilitating cartel violence and drug smuggling, as well as luring young Americans into working for them with seductive videos.
"Cartels are trying to get workers. They're trying to recruit people to help them out. [They] show lots of money, they show lots of drinking, partying, and everything else," Commander Jorge Esparza of the Brooks County Sheriff Department told the Washington Free Beacon during a recent trip to the border. "The way I look at it is, if social media companies are getting mad at somebody for making a comment about race or sexuality or something, I think they should be held more accountable" for what cartels are posting.
Anyone can open TikTok and find what amounts to a job board offering: a few hundred bucks in exchange for a simple task, such as driving a car a few miles past a law enforcement checkpoint. A search for "cartel" on TikTok brings up thousands of posts—some of which resemble rap music videos—with a combined nearly 682 million views. Commenters ask how to apply for a job or leave their contact information.
The rise of the social media platform presents a new challenge for authorities overwhelmed with violence and crime stemming from the border crisis. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has faced criticism for its internal policy allowing the solicitation of human smuggling on its platforms, but few other social media companies host such brazen criminal activity.
TikTok did not respond to a request for comment.
"We've seen ads on TikTok, we've seen ads on Facebook for people that were recruiting individuals to drive their cars," said Sgt. Aaron Moreno of the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Department. "I've pulled over people who have [illegal migrants in their car] and they’re like ‘Yeah, I'm, like, an Uber driver, sir.'"
Smuggling on the southwest border has spiked in recent years, creating a multibillion-dollar industry for cartels, their contracted coyotes, and Americans who bring migrants and narcotics to stash houses. Customs and Border Protection warned in February that "transnational criminal organizations are luring minors to smuggle migrants across border towns … with the promise of fast cash."
"It's like a joke on law enforcement," Moreno said. "I've seen TikTok videos where there's coyotes in a vehicle and they have a long rifle."
Some Republicans are demanding federal authorities do more to clamp down on or outlaw advertisements from criminal organizations on TikTok.
"No one should be surprised. TikTok is a Chinese company, which means it is required by law to serve the interests of the Chinese Communist Party," Sen. Marco Rubio (R., Fla.) told the Free Beacon. "And what do the cartels and Beijing have in common? Both are eager to flood our communities with fentanyl. If President Biden were serious about protecting Americans, he'd ban TikTok and secure the border. It is really that simple."
Aside from using TikTok as a recruitment tool, criminal organizations use the platform to coordinate human smuggling and drug trafficking, according to former Border Patrol agent Michael Celinas.
"A lot of times they use TikTok and videotape where they are, where they've arrived," he told the Free Beacon. "They're high-fiving and passing around the videos to prove that they made it over. We have guys constantly monitoring the platforms just digging around."
Law enforcement departments in border towns like McAllen, Texas, have adopted a "no pursuit" policy for cars that flee police. Too many times, officers say, young drivers panic and end up in horrific wrecks leaving themselves or migrants seriously injured or dead.
Texas attorney general Ken Paxton (R.) is investigating "TikTok's potential facilitation of human trafficking … as well as other potential unlawful conduct." His preliminary investigation asks whether law enforcement are notified of potential criminal activity and what the company's criteria is for removing cartel-related content.
"Chinese-owned company TikTok may be complicit in child exploitation, sex trafficking, human trafficking, drug smuggling and other unimaginable horrors," Paxton said in a February statement. "I will get to the bottom of these concerns and make sure Big Tech doesn't interfere with the safety and security of Texans."
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