Voters in rural Michigan who oppose the construction of a big Chinese-owned electric vehicle (EV) battery plant in their township have ousted from office five members of the Green Charter Township’s governing board who backed the multibillion-dollar factory, despite objections on the grounds of national security.
In a special election held last week, voters removed from office five Republican members of the Green Charter Township’s governing board in a recall after the board’s earlier approval of the $2.36 billion EV battery factory planned by Gotion Inc., which is owned by Chinese company Gotion High-tech Co.
The Green Township supervisor, clerk, treasurer, and two trustees were defeated in the Nov. 7 vote by challengers who listed no party affiliation. Two other members resigned. The five recalled officials were part of a 7–0 vote in December 2022 that backed the Chinese-linked battery plant.
“This recall shows how the community did not want this,” recall advocate Lori Brock told The Detroit News, referring to the factory. “This just means we have a voice again.”
The project, which was backed by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, was said to bring thousands of jobs.
However, critics raised objections on the grounds of possible environmental impacts and national security concerns.
National Security Concerns
Mr. Cushway cited provocative actions by the Chinese military against U.S. ships and planes, as well as the Chinese spy balloon that crossed much of the country earlier this year.He also cited reports indicating that Gotion High-tech Co. management had sworn allegiance to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and expressed concern that Gotion Inc., the Chinese firm’s U.S. affiliate that planned to build the plant, would collect potentially sensitive information that would then fall into the hands of the CCP in China.
All companies in China, including foreign companies, are required by law to have within their structure a CCP office that supervises the company’s operations.
Gotion’s North American manufacturing vice president, Chuck Thelen, has in the past dismissed concerns about its parent company’s links to the CCP, saying Gotion Inc. is “not Chinese-owned.”
“The rumors that you’ve heard about us bringing communism to North America are just flat-out fear-mongering and really have nothing based in reality,” he said in August, according to Politico.
Gotion High-Tech Staff Push Communist Propaganda
The document also states that Gotion Inc. isn’t “supervised,” “directed,” or “financed” by “a foreign government, foreign political party, or other foreign principal.”
However, Gotion Inc. is “completely controlled” by China-based Gotion High-Tech, per the document.
The document also asks whether the “foreign principal,” meaning Gotion Inc., will engage in “political activities.” Gotion answered “Yes.”
A Gotion representative said employees paid for the retreat with their own money.
Jason Kruse, Green Charter Township’s newly elected supervisor, said residents raised national security concerns with the ousted board, “but it was a moot point with them.”
Mr. Kruse was a key figure in the campaign to recall the seven-person board.
“Everybody out there across America needs to step back and understand that you have the power. It’s still there,” he told Fox News.
“We really need to be reminded about that every so often, that public officials work for the public. It’s very nice to see that we can add to that understanding.”
