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Threats and Cash: How China Meddles in U.S. Local Elections

Threats and Cash: How China Meddles in U.S. Local Elections

Update: 2025-08-281
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Description

A curious news story emerged in New York last week. It involved the mayor’s race, a reporter from the news outlet The City and a bag of chips.

Michael Forsythe, a reporter on the investigations team at The New York Times, explains how the episode fits into a larger story about how China has been attempting to influence American politics.

Guest: Michael Forsythe, a reporter on the investigations team at The New York Times.

Background reading: 

  • In the past few years, community organizations have quietly foiled the careers of politicians who opposed China’s authoritarian government.
  • Times reporters witnessed supporters of the New York mayor, Eric Adams, handing out cash-filled envelopes. Sometimes, that money went to reporters from Chinese-language outlets.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Photo: Shuran Huang for The New York Times


Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

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Threats and Cash: How China Meddles in U.S. Local Elections

Threats and Cash: How China Meddles in U.S. Local Elections

The New York Times