Was the mayor a spy? L.A. suburb left wondering about China's effort to influence

"Wang, a naturalized U.S. citizen, distanced herself from her ex and remained in office, becoming mayor earlier this year. The scandal had mostly quieted - until Monday, on the eve of President Trump's planned trip to Beijing, when a plea deal was unsealed revealing Wang's own murky role as an agent for China. Now, Wang has become a national political talking point, with critics painting her as a calculating foreign agent who sought to infiltrate the American government and undermine democracy."

"Wang admitted in her plea agreement to posting and editing web content at the request of the Chinese government - without disclosing her ties to U.S. authorities, as the law requires. She ran afoul of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, or FARA, a federal statute that experts said has seen ramped up enforcement over the last decade, particularly in cases involving China. But those familiar with the law - and international espionage - said it does not appear that Wang was engaged in spycraft as it is commonly understood."

"Katie Miller, wife of top Trump advisor Stephen Miller, blasted Wang on social media site X as a "spy." "This is pure China trying to influence U.S. politics and U.S. elections," Katie Miller said on Fox News. Back home, some of Wang's former colleagues in local government say they repeatedly tried to raise alarms about her."

""There were red flags everywhere," said Sharon Kwan, an Arcadia city council member and former mayor. Wang admitted in her plea agreement to posting and editing web content at the request of the Chinese government - without disclosing her ties to U.S. authorities, as the law requires. She ran afoul of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, or FARA, a federal statute that experts said has seen ramped up enforcement over the last decade, particularly in cases involving China."

Eileen Wang won a City Council seat in 2022 with help from a campaign advisor who later faced federal charges for secretly working for the Chinese government. Wang, a naturalized U.S. citizen, distanced herself from the advisor and remained in office, becoming mayor earlier this year. The scandal quieted until a plea deal was unsealed on the eve of President Trump’s planned trip to Beijing, revealing Wang’s own undisclosed role as an agent for China. Critics portrayed her as a calculating foreign agent seeking to infiltrate American government and undermine democracy. Wang admitted in her plea agreement to posting and editing web content at China’s request without disclosing ties to U.S. authorities required under law. She violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which has seen increased enforcement, especially in China-related cases.

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