The news stopped me short. Biden’s Justice Department is dropping five major espionage cases against likely Chinese spies – researchers charged with intelligence operations against American universities and labs. We know the practice is common, jeopardizes national security, and deterrence is vital. Why drop the cases initiated a year ago – one scheduled for trial this week? Good question.
Court filings say prosecutors got cold feet. Why? Because FBI analysts got cold feet. Why? Reportedly, they did not think the “value of the cases” was high. Really? Prosecuting Chinese spies? At a time when China is pushing all fronts, space and maritime to cyber, trade, and military?
Fallback, FBI felt maybe rights against self-incrimination not been properly briefed. Really? None confessed, none went without a lawyer, and none disgorged – by all indications – inculpatory evidence. So, where is the constitutional issue, harm, error, particularly since non-briefing details are vague?
Yes, after they had lawyers, some admitted lying, Chinese military affiliations, stealing information. Do you recall this case back in 2020? Most should; it was a major rupture in US-Chinese relations at a time when Trump was pushing China on trade.
What happened? The US ordered China to close its Houston, Texas consulate, specifically for aiding a nationwide espionage scheme, seeking to penetrate US universities and research facilities, steal sensitive data, and return it to China.
Was that a big deal? Are you kidding? China shut a US consulate, and relations hit a 30-year low. Beyond that, as the Wall Street Journal reported, “more than 1000 Chinese military-affiliated researchers” immediately departed the US. Interesting, eh?
These Chinese military personnel, each a potential infiltrator, had reason to leave. Espionage penalties in the US top out at life in prison. By example, 19 USC section 793 carries a penalty of “imprisonment for up to ten years” as well as a “$25,000 fine” for espionage. Despite this, “a senior Justice Department official said the punishment … usually amounted to around a few months.” So, the idea is, “oh well”?
Another Justice official said, “recent developments” prompted “the department to re-evaluate the prosecutions.” Very curious. “Recent developments,” like perhaps a presidential election, change of power in the executive branch, new US attorney general? Cryptically put, the DOJ spokesman said: “We have determined that it is now in the interest of Justice to dismiss them.”
So, just wondering: Are China’s interests now “the interests of justice,” the way Mr. Fauci is now “science,” and coincidentally, his “science” aligns with China’s interests in avoiding COVID culpability? But I digress…
On these dropped federal cases, other oddities. A long-winded FBI memo, attached to the filings, meanders until concluding lies told to avoid identification as Chinese military agents have nothing to do with “the illicit transfer of US technology to China.” Interesting conclusion.
Honestly, the memo gets comic, as if reading a Tom Stoppard play or the British comedy “Yes, Minister.” How? It says that, while some of the accused spies are on the lam, not all are accused of tech transfer (but other crimes), leading FBI’s China Tech Transfer Analysis unit (which may be due for retirement) “to determine that scrutiny of this indicator did not yield heretofore-unknown instances of technology transfer.” What? Yes, possibly guilty, but not guilty enough, and who cares?
Then another Biden Justice Department spokesman piped up to offer the FBI memo did not reflect the government position, as it was “preliminary in nature,” and might “misapprehend certain facts …” The Justice position eventually devolves into nonsense, saying internal disagreements arose into whether the Chinese communist military is a “direct analogue” to anything in the US, arguing that a Chinese spy is not necessarily part of the military because they “wear a uniform.” Gosh, I had not thought of that.
What else? Well, how about these two facts. First, diehard Democrat and co-author of the Obama Iran nuclear (go ahead and build them) deal, now Deputy Secretary of State, Wendy Sherman – is headed for high-level talks in China this week. It might be inconvenient to be trying Chinese spies. And Biden is as pro-China as any president since Nixon, who arguably did not know better.
In short, Biden Justice Department looks more political every day, and not just anti-First, Second, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Tenth Amendment, but now pro-China. With such conviction, what could go wrong? Forgive the sarcasm, but this news stopped me short. Biden’s Justice Department is dropping five major espionage cases against likely Chinese spies – why? The question remains unanswered.
Robert Charles is a former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former Reagan and Bush 41 White House staffer, attorney, and naval intelligence officer (USNR). He wrote “Narcotics and Terrorism” (2003), “Eagles and Evergreens” (2018), and is National Spokesman for AMAC.
Just one small item you failed to mention in your article. One of the five Chinese spies arrested had already admitted he had done everything he was charged with. So the case against him was a slam dunk. Even so, the DOJ still dropped all charges against him. So is it really any wonder that more and more American citizens realize the so-called rule of law now longer really exists in this country? No doubt President Xi at least had a good laugh when the DOJ made its decision public.
After China was gifting the Biden’s with lots of money, would that change the “what is called a” justice departments decision not to pursue anything to do with China. Maybe the name should be a Convenient Justice Department that goes where the money is.
Is there no one over the justice department that is not tied to a political system or otherwise has other interests more important than our countries.
The why is easy to figure out, O’Biden dare not rile the CCP for fear that his and his family members misdeeds and criminality will become known when they’re exposed by China. As with a major portion of the democrats and even some republicans they’re deep in the CCP pockets and vice versa so China owns the United States of America!
Collusion with China. Pussilaimous Biden
The real espinoge is in the White House, right at the very top. That’s who neefs to be on trial.
I personally find this to be a major case of Treason by the Biden administration and the Democratic Party plus a few RINO’s! These individuals should be gathered up and ready to stand in front of a firing squad. The current administration has done nothing for the working people of OUR COUNTRY! They have sold their soles to the Devil! Trump was the best thing that happened to OUR COUNTRY, like him or hate him he didn’t go after peoples saving nor to he support laziness by way of shutting the Country down which has a great deal of damage. The sooner Pelosi Schumer and Schiff are brought to Justice OUR COUNTRY IS DOA with these Communists at the helm. Biden doesn’t even know where he is most of the time how can he run a Country? He can’t! It Pelosi and her corrupt groups changing American to a Communist Country!
When we had Odumbo as president, I would look at how Putin handled problems. At least how he was accused of handling problems. You know of the execution rooms in the prisons….tiled floors sloped to a drain, tiled walls and ceilings. All to contain and drain off the blood. The last walk into the room with the guard who put a bullet into the prisoners head. Perhaps we should adopt some of the old Russian solutions for spies. The get jailed, and then they just disappear.
I was going to comment, but after reading how the Biden administration is, ” Biden Justice Department looks more political every day, and not just anti-First, Second, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Tenth Amendment, but now pro-China” I will refrain from commenting for fear of the Biden regime coming to pick me up & placing me in a political prison.
How do consulates work & how many years have they been around. Article says US ordered China to close Houston consulate during Trump term. I thought these were embassies and all were in Washington DC. Can a country have more than one in USA ? And what is there main purpose.
Even the FBI is corrupt. I guess money really does talk. God Help Us All. It Hurts My Heart to see what was once such A Great Country going in the cesspool more and more every day. I Thank God Every Day for being born when I was. I want so badly to do something to turn this around, but have not found any ways for me to help yet. I can’t believe the younger generation cannot and will not see what is happening to their future. But the promise of “Free Stuff” is much more alluring than the truth.
Wake up Americans. Joe Hidin’ Biden is sidin’ with China for past and probably future illegal gratuities related to his payback to Communist China. And as a side note, this probably makes the Ruskies very nervous, too.
What a flippin joke fraud obiden is pathetic and will go down in history as the worst fake president providing they dont rewrite our history books. We already know twisted anti American obama is the worst questionable president in U.S. history his dirty fingerprints are all over this nightmare we’re living with now he had eight long years to corrupt every agency within our government with soros funding all of it!
If you realize who is really running the country (in his third term), this dropping of charges makes as much sense as Obama’s DOJ did when they dropped the charges against the billy club wielding Black Panthers at the polling places in 2008.
A G Merrick Garland has definitively stated on numerous occasions that there will be NO crime investigated or prosecuted in this country unless it involves Donald Trump, his family or supporters, PERIOD!!! Unless he could somehow tie Chinese (or Russian) spying to Donald Trump or someone associated with him, no matter how remotely, he has zero interest in the case.