Blakeman hits Hochul for dealing with Chinese Communist officials after Linda Sun scandal

Commie here often?

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman called for a probe of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration Wednesday as unearthed records revealed her aides kept up chummy relations with Chinese government officials — even after the firing of accused Beijing agent Linda Sun.

The federal charges against Sun — a former top aide to Hochul and her predecessor Gov. Andrew Cuomo — ended in a mistrial last month, though Brooklyn federal prosecutors vowed to retry her on accusations she illegally helped push China’s agenda in Albany.

After Sun was fired in 2023, Hochul’s office discussed welcoming a delegation from Henan Province to the State Capitol — the same Chinese region tied directly to the federal criminal case against Sun, Blakeman said.

“After a suspected CCP operative is exposed inside your administration, the correct response is to shut the door, tighten security, and come clean — not continue business as usual,” Blakeman said.

“Governor Hochul did the opposite.”

Blakeman — Hochul’s Republican opponent in the 2026 gubernatorial election — referred to records of ongoing communication between the Democrat’s office and Henan officials, cited in a Monday report by the Daily Caller.

An aide to Hochul wrote in one message that the governor was “happy to hear from” a Henan official seeking engagement, the report said.

Sun was dismissed from her job in Hochul’s office in March 2023, but the records showed ongoing correspondence between the administration and Chinese officials, according to the report.

Hochul’s staff considered a potential delegation visit with reps from the People’s Government of Henan Province in July 2023, the report said.

The visit was to “deepen the friendly relations between Henan Province and New York State” and to “strengthen pragmatic cooperation” in areas such as trade, finance, higher education, culture and tourism, according to the emails obtained by the Daily Caller.

Then–Assistant Secretary for Executive Operations Greg Lorjuste told a Henan counterpart that the governor was “happy to hear from you and appreciates that you have extended this invitation to her,” the emails show.

Elaine Fan, who replaced Sun as director of Asian affairs in the governor’s office, handled much of the discussions with Chinese officials. She worked in the governor’s office until November 2023.

Also known as Fan Xiaojiang, she is the daughter of a former Chinese journalist who held senior roles in the CCP’s Central Propaganda Department and served as editor for state-run media outlets, including China Press, a Fox News Digital investigation reported in June.

Blakeman said an investigation was warranted into the Hochul administration’s interactions with Chinese government entities and its handling of internal security risks.

“Federal authorities have repeatedly warned that the Chinese Communist Party targets state and local governments to advance its agenda,” Blakeman said.

“Hostile governments like the Chinese Communist Party — a regime that engages in espionage, coercion, and influence operations against the United States — don’t belong anywhere near New York’s government.”

The Chinese Communist Party and government seeks relationships with state and local governments to advance its objectives through its foreign ministry and vast network of clubs and front groups.

The CCP is active in Chinese-American enclaves, including southern Brooklyn and Flushing, Queens.

Hochul spokesperson Jen Goodman responded: “These claims are unfounded, no meeting occurred with the Governor. The administration sends a general acknowledgement template-based letter automatically to confirm receipt of meeting requests.”

Fan, who last year served as chief of staff to Scott Stringer’s mayoral campaign, complained about being the victim of a red-baiting smear that “unfairly damaged” her reputation, on her LinkedIn page.

Sun, who was accused of acting as an illegal Chinese agent in exchange for payoffs that funded her lavish lifestyle, pleaded not guilty.