Threats and Cash: How China Meddles in U.S. Local Elections
The Daily
08/28/25
•31m
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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
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For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
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For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Photo: Alyssa Pointer/Reuters
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