Staff Reports
Two weeks before the midterm elections, the Justice Department held a press conference on Monday where they showcased 3 cases against Chinese intelligence agents. This came in response to concerns raised by conservatives regarding the politicization of law enforcement under the administration of President Joe Biden.
In response to a question regarding the timeliness of the cases, FBI Director Christopher Wray stated, We bring cases when they're ready, and that's probably the most straightforward answer and most plain answer to that.
The press conference took place only a few hours after a report indicated that local and federal law enforcement authorities had participated in a conference call to assess potential dangers to the upcoming midterm elections in the United States.
According to a report published by Politico on Monday, officials who participated in the conversation discussed the potential for violence in response to the spreading of fake stories regarding the election process. According to the study, officials stated that election workers, particularly those who work at polling stations, are likely to experience threats and intimidation from [extremists] both online and offline. These threats and harassment could affect the election.
During the news conference, Garland was questioned about voter intimidation and whether or not he was concerned about it.
He stated that the Justice Department has a responsibility to prevent, to guarantee a free and fair vote by everyone who is eligible to vote, and will not let voters to be intimidated.
The heads of law enforcement agencies stated that their attention has been focused on the dangers posed by China.
Merrick Garland, the attorney general of the United States, stated that I think [these charges] make fairly obvious, we are uncompromising in our attempts to prohibit the government of China from engaging in economic espionage, from working in the United States as foreign agents, from trying to impact our rule of law, our judicial system, from trying to target and recruit Americans to help them.
Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen added, So as the attorney general mentioned, we have been extremely focused on the threat that the [People's Republic of China] poses to our principles and to our institutions.
At least one of the examples that they referenced was the result of inquiries that were initiated prior to the administration of President Joe Biden.
In one of these cases, two intelligence officers from the People's Republic of China were accused of attempting to hinder, influence, and inhibit the criminal prosecution of Huawai, a Chinese telecommunications company. They are accused of doing this by trying to recruit a law enforcement employee from the United States as an asset who would provide them with confidential information regarding the prosecution. The worker served a dual purpose as an asset to the company.
In yet another instance, five people—four Chinese nationals and three PRC intelligence officers—attempted to influence people in the United States to carry out PRC business under the guise of a fictitious Chinese think tank. These persons were located in the United States. This included acquiring equipment and technology from the United States and having it delivered to China. It also included putting a halt to protests in the United States that might have been embarrassing for the Chinese leadership.
The third incident involved seven people who were working for the People's Republic of China to coerce a U.S. resident to move back to China by intimidating and harassing his family members both in the United States and in China.
These court decisions show that the Chinese government actively worked to limit American citizens' freedoms and rights and to discredit our country's judicial system, which is responsible for upholding those protections. Unfortunately, they were unsuccessful, Garland stated.
In reference to Huawei, Monaco said, this instance shows the relationship between PRC intelligence personnel and Chinese firms and it demonstrates once again why such corporations, especially in the telecommunications industry, shouldn't be allowed to safely manage our sensitive personal data and communications.
The Chinese government targets firms of every size and in practically every area, from agriculture to green technology to semiconductors, Wray said. They also target the Chinese-American community, academics, and state and local governments, as well as our partners throughout the world.
The press conference was met with dissatisfaction from many on the left, who voiced their wish for the Department of Justice to instead concentrate their attention on former President Donald Trump.
Dash Dobrofsky, a podcaster who focuses on progressive topics, tweeted:
Merrick Garland’s DOJ went public about a case of “Espionage, bribery & Obstruction of Justice” that threatens the “rights & liberties” of “every American.” The perp they are targeting is the People’s Republic of China — not the Former US President who stole classified documents.
— Dash Dobrofsky (@DashDobrofsky) October 24, 2022
A blogger wished the Department of Justice cared as much about obstruction of justice by former presidents as they do about China.
I do wish the DOJ was as interested in former Presidents obstructing justice as they are in China…
— Alan Bennett Ilagan (@alanilagan) October 24, 2022
During the news conference, Garland did answer one question on the investigation being conducted by the Department of Justice into the possible discovery of sensitive documents at Mar-a-Lago. A reporter wanted to know whether or not Garland would be willing to commit to "transparency" regarding the probe.
Since the investigation is still going on, I won't be able to speak further at this time. We express ourselves through the cases that we bring and the filings that we make. Garland asserted that this was the only way people around here spoke.
The preceding is a summary of an article that originally appeared on Breitbart.
