Tag: new york

Hochul’s Former Aide Faces New Charges In Chinese Spy Case

Linda Sun, former deputy chief of staff to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, and Sun’s husband, Chris Hu, are facing additional charges in a case that alleges they acted as agents of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Sun and Hu were arrested and charged in September 2024 in a case that is part of the Department of Justice’s broader effort to root out communist China’s secret agents, who U.S. officials say are covertly advancing the CCP’s interests and targeting Chinese dissidents on U.S. soil in an effort known as transnational repression.

On Feb. 11, Sun and Hu pleaded not guilty at a hearing in Brooklyn federal court, prosecutors said, adding that the money laundering charge against the two had been amended to include additional legal statutes.

Hu also pleaded not guilty to three additional money laundering counts, according to prosecutors.

A superseding indictment filed on Feb. 4 didn’t provide more details other than saying that Hu’s charges were connected to three separate financial transactions totaling $1.5 million in 2020.

A spokesperson for federal prosecutors declined to comment beyond what was stated in the superseding indictment.

Jarrod Schaeffer, one of Sun’s attorneys, said the revised indictment also does not “remedy critical errors identified in the prior indictment.”

Sun and Hu remain free on bond and are scheduled to return to court on April 23.

Last year, Sun was charged with violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), visa fraud, alien smuggling, and money laundering conspiracy. Hu was charged with money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and misuse of means of identification.

Sun, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in China, worked for the New York state government under Hochul and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo for about 15 years. During her political career, she held various posts, including deputy superintendent for intergovernmental affairs, chief diversity officer at the state’s Department of Financial Services, deputy chief diversity officer and director of Asian American Affairs for the state’s Executive Chamber, and director of external affairs for Global NY at Empire State Development.

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Prosecutors were prepping to charge Eric Adams with destroying evidence, Manhattan US attorney’s resignation letter reveals

Manhattan federal prosecutors were prepared to bring a new bombshell indictment charging Mayor Eric Adams with destroying evidence and telling people to lie to the FBI, a letter obtained by The Post reveals.

The letter sent by Danielle Sassoon, who resigned from her post Thursday rather than obey an order from President Trump’s Justice Department to kill the case, also blasts the “rushed and superficial” reasoning that she says was behind Washington DC’s demand.

“Because the law does not support a dismissal, and because I am confident that Adams has committed the crimes with which he is charged, I cannot agree to seek a dismissal driven by improper considerations,” wrote Sassoon, a Republican.

The former clerk for conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia also explicitly accused Adams of offering to help Trump’s immigration agenda in exchange for the case being dropped.

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Trump asked to shut down NYC ‘injection sites’ where drug addicts consume with impunity

The Trump administration is being urged to shut down two controversial city-approved “safe” injection sites — where drug addicts can use illegal drugs like meth, heroin and cocaine under supervision.

Republican US Rep. Nicole Malliotakis is asking Trump to step in to close the government-sponsored centers in East Harlem and Washington Heights, saying they violate federal law.

“These sites not only enable but also perpetuate illegal drug use,” Malliotakis wrote in a Feb. 11 letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, a copy of which was obtained by The Post.

The Staten Island congresswoman cited a Third Circuit of Appeals ruling in Philadelphia that concluded it was a federal crime to “open a supervised injection site or ‘consumption room’ for illegal drug use.”

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BOOM! Pam Bondi Announces Charges Against Kathy Hochul and Letitia James

On Wednesday, Attorney General Pam Bondi made headlines during her inaugural press briefing, where she delivered a powerful message to New York Democrats protecting illegal immigrants by announcing that charges have been filed against Gov. Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, and DMV Commissioner Mark Schroeder.

Bondi made it clear that the Department of Justice is taking aggressive action to enforce immigration laws and hold states accountable.

“This is a new DOJ, and we are taking steps to protect Americans, American citizens, and angel moms like the mom standing right behind me,” Bondi said. “New York has chosen to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens. It stops. It stops today.”

Bondi pointed to legal action already taken against Illinois, saying, “As you know, we sued Illinois, and New York didn’t listen. So now you’re next.” She warned that the consequences of the state’s policies have been devastating.

“Millions of illegal aliens with violent records have flooded into our communities, bringing violence and deadly drugs with them,” Bondi stated.

She then introduced Tammy Nobles, an angel mom whose daughter, Kayla Hamilton, was murdered by an MS-13 gang member in 2022.

“Tammy is an angel mom. Her beautiful daughter Kayla, Kayla Hamilton, was murdered by an MS-13 member in 2022,” Bondi said. “Kayla had just turned 20 years old—just turned 20 years old—and she was raped and murdered by someone who should not have been in our country. Yet he was released, flown to Maryland, where he committed this violent murder.”

Bondi urged Americans to listen to Nobles’ story. “I just want you to hear from… I want you to hear from Tammy. Tammy represents not only herself and her family, but all of the great angel moms around this country who have suffered because of what the Biden administration did. And it is over.”

Her remarks made it clear that the DOJ is taking a hard stance against states that defy federal immigration law, vowing accountability and action.

After Nobles spoke, Bondi warned states intent on protecting illegals that they will suffer the consequences. “If you don’t comply with federal law, we will hold you accountable,” she said. “We did it to Illinois. Strike one. Strike two is New York. And if you are a state not complying with federal law, you’re next.”

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New York Court Considers Law that Would Allow 800,000 Non-Citizens to Vote

A staggering 800,000 non-citizens could reportedly be voting soon in New York City elections, as a court is considering legislation this week that would allow them to register to vote ahead of the city’s elections.

A top New York court is set to hear arguments regarding the matter on Tuesday, according to a report by Politico. This comes after an appellate court struck down Democrats’ efforts to permit non-citizens to vote last year.

If the initiative by Democrats is successful, around 800,000 non-citizens living in New York City will be allowed to vote in city-level elections, such as the upcoming mayoral election this November, the report noted.

Advocates of the legislation that would let non-citizens cast ballots are arguing that these residents are being unfairly taxed.

“In five City Council districts, non-U.S. citizens make up about a third of the adult population,” attorneys reportedly wrote in a filing. “These New Yorkers pay billions in taxes and yet have no say in local policies on public safety, garbage collection, or housing — all matters that affect their day-to-day lives.”

New York City Republicans, meanwhile, remain nonplussed, reminding those involved that the state’s constitution specifically states that voting rights are granted to “every citizen.”

“It’s hard to discuss because it’s crazy it’s even an issue,” New York State Sen. Andrew Lanza (R-24th Senate District) told Politico, adding, “Citizens ought to vote. If you’re not a citizen of a country, you should not have a say.”

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Elon Musk: DOGE Team Discovers FEMA Spent $59 Million Last Week on Luxury Hotels for Illegals in NYC Violating the Current Law – Musk Vows to Recoup the Funds

Elon Musk reported early Monday morning that FEMA sent $59 million just last week to luxury hotels in New York City to house illegal migrants.

According to Musk, sending this money to these high-end hotels violated the law.  This directly interferes with President Trump’s executive order.

And why is FEMA paying for illegal alien housing when they ignore Americans suffering and living in tents in places like North Carolina?

FEMA funds are meant for American disaster relief and not to fund Joe Biden’s invasion.

Musk says a clawback demand will be made today to recoup the funds.

Apparently, one of the hotels in question is the Roosevelt in Manhattan.

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Trump Administration Files Emergency Motion to Vacate Treasury’s Restraining Order — Asserts ‘No Court Can Sever Presidential Supervision Mandated by Article II’

The Trump administration has filed an emergency motion to vacate an ex parte temporary restraining order issued by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

This order egregiously interferes with the executive branch’s operations by limiting access to crucial Treasury Department systems.

On Saturday, Obama appointee Judge Paul A. Engelmayer issued an ex parte temporary restraining order that restricted access to Treasury systems exclusively to “civil servants,” explicitly excluding “all political appointees” from accessing these systems.

Ex parte means the “Trump administration lawyers weren’t given notice, weren’t allowed to argue, and weren’t even in the room. Only Democrat attorneys general were heard, ensuring a predetermined outcome.”

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Citizens Face $2,000 Energy Bill Increase as Dem Gov’s Green Energy Push Moves Forward: Report

One the country’s bluest regions is learning about the high cost of going green.

Customers of New York’s Consolidated Edison, the electric and gas utility that services New York City, is proposing a massive rate increase that would cost Big Apple customers paying utility bills almost $2,000 more a year than they did in 2020, the New York Post reported Thursday.

And the company blames energy mandates imposed by the New York state government, led by Gov. Kathy Hochul, for the hikes.

The proposed rates are being reviewed by the state Public Service Commission, the Post reported

And one former member of that commission told the newspaper the hikes are a sign that the state is headed in the wrong direction.

“We have to take a breath,” former Commission John Howard said, according to the Post.

“We’re not telling Mr. and Mrs. New York how much this transition to clean energy will cost them.”

The Post based its figures on customers using 600 kilowatt-hours per month — the average for New York state households, according to the electricity marketplace website Electricchoice.com.

Con Ed officials argued that New York City customers use less electricity than others in the state and claimed the Post’s figures were too high — that its proposal would amount to a hike of 15.7 percent, or about $46.42 to $289.41 per month, but there’s no denying that a rate increase is a rate increase.

And there’s no denying that New York’s Democratic-run state government has a mania for electricity mandates.

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Letitia James Orders NY Hospitals to Continue Trans Surgeries on Minors

Democrats are sending a message: election or no election, executive orders or no executive orders, reality or fantasy: “This is our world, and you might be welcome to live in it, so long as you toe the line.” Make no mistake, they may have lost the White House, House, and Senate and elected David Hogg as the DNC vice chair, but they are digging in and remaining intransigent while they plot their return to power. And they aren’t content to merely lose their minds over confirmation hearings or the fact that the party is over at USAID. 

The AP reported that on Monday, New York Attorney General Letitia James sent a stern warning to the state’s hospitals. The warning came in a letter to the hospitals that despite Trump’s executive order to halt funding for transitioning treatments for minors, hospitals that did not continue what the Left refers to as “gender-affirming care” would be in violation of New York’s anti-discrimination laws. James commented, “Regardless of the availability of federal funding, we write to further remind you of your obligations to comply with New York State laws.” The outlet noted that hospitals in Colorado, Virginia, and Washington D.C. had hit the pause button on the procedures while they evaluated the order. 

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DOJ probing sheriff over undocumented immigrant’s release

In what appears to be part of the Trump administration’s ongoing campaign against sanctuary cities, the Justice Department is investigating a sheriff in upstate New York who released an undocumented man later taken into custody by federal agents.

The US Attorney’s office for the Northern District of New York “is looking into the circumstances” surrounding the release by Tompkins County Sheriff Derek Osborne of Jesus Romero-Hernandez, a 27-year-old Mexican citizen.

Romero-Hernandez pleaded guilty to a state assault charge and was sentenced to time served, necessitating his release. He left local custody in Ithaca before Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrived to pick him up on a federal complaint charging him with illegally re-entering the United States after a prior removal.

Ithaca adopted a sanctuary law in 2017.

ICE, the U.S. Marshals Service and Homeland Security Investigations later apprehended Romero-Hernandez.

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