West
Newsom's ties to CCP under microscope in new book exposing alleged corruption: 'Fleeced American citizens'
FIRST ON FOX: A new book sounding the alarm about corruption in California spends a chapter focusing on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s history with a nonprofit organization that the authors say served as a major “gateway” for corrupt CCP-aligned corporations to flood into the state.
In their book, “Fool’s Gold: The Radicals, Con Artists, and Traitors Who Killed the California Dream and Now Threaten Us All,” authors Jedd McFatter and Susan Crabtree write extensively about Newsom’s relationship with the Chinese community in the Bay Area and his ties to CCP businesses.
The book explains that Newsom came into office as San Francisco’s mayor in 2004 after receiving strong support from Chinese voters, enough so that he celebrated his victory in Chinatown and the authors write that from an early point in his tenure he was ready to “go full steam ahead with Chinatown’s interests.”
One of those interests, according to Chapter 3 of the book, was a nonprofit organization initiative started by Newsom called ChinaSF that the book argues served as a gateway for CCP officials and Chinese criminals to exploit California.
CHINA’S BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE PLAGUED BY CORRUPTION AND POLITICAL BACKLASH: REPORT
A new book raises questions about California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ties to China. (Getty)
The book describes a Newsom trip to China, where he was hosted in a Shanghai “clubhouse” by Vincent Lo, a Chinese businessman with deep ties to the CCP.
“It was during this meeting that Newsom and Lo hatched a long-term plan to turn San Francisco into the premiere gateway through which Chinese companies could invest and expand their businesses in the United States,” the book says. “Upon his return from China, starry-eyed Gavin told his staff that he was going to set aside a couple of million dollars to set up a public-private partnership called ChinaSF that would open the floodgates to Chinese money and business like never before. It turns out the young mayor wasn’t just blowing smoke: three years later, Newsom and Lo joined forces in Shanghai to co‑launch ChinaSF.”
The book says that ChinaSF impacted the Bay Area arguably “more than any other” program that Newsom created as mayor and that the initiative hauled in almost $5.5 billion of economic impact to San Francisco from 2008 to 2018 while recruiting 108 Chinese companies into the city.
The book alleges that during this time period, ChinaSF “helped several corrupt Chinese corporations come to America.”
One of the several companies discussed in the book was Suntech, a Chinese solar company developed by the CCP that was personally recruited by Newsom into the United States, and he publicly praised the company’s CEO, Dr. Zhengrong Shi, multiple times, and made him an advisory board member for ChinaSF.
In addition to green energy companies who streamed through ChinaSF, real estate companies were also involved, and the book alleges that Newsom received over $23,000 in anonymous contributions from Chinese real estate company Z&L, whose billionaire owner was criminally sentenced for bribing a San Francisco government official.
Chapter 3, titled “Feeding the Dragon,” goes into detail about a variety of potential red flags on Newsom’s ties with China, including ChinaSF being used as a “tool to build San Francisco into a global hub for biotechnology and pharmaceutical science.”
“Dozens of Chinese biotech companies were drawn to the Bay Area with huge tax breaks and other incentives, but it appears that there was very little vetting,” the book states. “One of ChinaSF’s most concerning recruits is the biotech company JOINN Laboratories, which has close ties to China’s military.”
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“Fool’s Gold: The Radicals, Con Artists, and Traitors Who Killed the California Dream and Now Threaten Us All,” by Jedd McFatter and Susan Crabtree (Center Street Publishing)
Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom’s office for comment and received a response pointing to an article about conspiracy theories with the headline, “Conspiracy theorists really do see the world differently, new study shows.”
The book goes on to discuss ChinaSF’s involvement with biotechnology and pharmaceutical science companies that were “drawn to the Bay Area” with tax breaks and “little vetting” along with a liquor company called Kweichow Moutai, which has a history of “several major corruption scandals involving bribery by CCP officials.”
The book also alleges that as California’s lieutenant governor, Newsom trademarked wines he owns in China and poured them for CCP elites at a lavish Shanghai tasting.
The authors also drew attention to the controversial connection between ChinaSF and Huawei, a company that has been involved in a myriad of questionable practices that have drawn scrutiny from U.S. presidential administrations, resulting in restrictions.
“However, no one seemed to notice when an infamous Chinese company became their top financial sponsor in 2016,” the book says. “This might be because the U.S. government has long identified that company, Huawei Technologies, as one of China’s most dangerous tech companies. According to an internal report, ChinaSF hosted two events in 2016, headlined by Huawei, which led to Huawei establishing a new research and development office in San Francisco. The amount of money Huawei funneled to ChinaSF is unknown, but it’s worth noting that in 2016, Huawei generated more than $75 billion in revenue, so they had plenty of cash to flash around.”
ChinaSF once described itself as a nonprofit, including on its now defunct website, the book explains, but between 2009 and 2014 it was a limited liability corporation whose only member was the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce.
“In other words, for a period of time, ChinaSF was a private entity embedded in a local chamber of commerce,” the book says.
SCHUMER SPOTTED POSING FOR PHOTO WITH CCP OFFICIAL AS WARNINGS SWIRL ABOUT CHINA INFLUENCE
China’s national flag flutters on Pingtan island. (Adek Berry/Getty Images)
The chapter closes with a summary of why ChinaSF’s influence in the state deserves more scrutiny.
“Close analysis of available data reveals that most descriptions of ChinaSF by government and media have been vacuous and misleading,”: the book says. “Essentially, ChinaSF is the branded name of a complex bureaucratic mirage used as cover to legitimize the massive transfer of Bay Area technology, property, and wealth to China while streamlining the establishment of Chinese business in the United States. It’s the secret elixir Newsom concocted to help transform San Francisco into the primary entry point and hub of China’s BRI in the United States.”
“On the surface, the flurry of MOUs, press conferences, ribbon cuttings, and so forth – propped up by reassuring proclamations from chambers of commerce and government officials like Newsom – cohere into what may look like an innovative job-generating public-private partnership. But the deeper you probe into who’s funding ChinaSF, who’s failing to vet all the Chinese companies coming in, and who’s making money off the deals – you discover there’s no reasonable public accountability structure in place, not enough records for the public to review, and no clear explanations for why the San Francisco mayor’s office has a right to engage in risky subnational business schemes in some cases with People’s Republic of China criminals and shady Chinese firms who have exploited and damaged the US economy and fleeced American citizens with their fraudulent schemes.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom (Getty Images)
“San Francisco is proud of its long-standing relationship with China and its sister city, Shanghai,” Newsom said in 2008. “ChinaSF builds on this history of shared cultural and economic ties, and strengthens future economic prosperity through enhanced relationships between San Franciscan and Chinese businesses.”
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San Francisco, CA
California dominates top 10 priciest U.S. cities for homeowners — here’s what you need to earn
- California dominates US housing costs, with 9 of 10 priciest metros; San Jose leads at $11,690/month.
- San Francisco and Los Angeles also rank high, requiring annual incomes of $358,090 and $301,221 respectively.
- Despite a slight decline in income requirements since 2025, affordability remains a distant dream for many.
From Silicon Valley to San Diego, the Golden State boasts nine of the 10 most expensive metropolitan areas in the US for homeowners, a new report revealed.
San Jose landed in the top spot, followed by San Francisco at No. 2 and Los Angeles at No. 5.
An analysis from ConsumerAffairs examined monthly home payments across 200 of the nation’s largest metro areas to determine the income needed to afford a home in each location.
In San Jose, that monthly cost came out to a staggering $11,690 — making it by far the the most expensive US metro for homeowners for the second year in a row.
Buyers now need to earn an eye-popping $501,012 in annual income to afford a typical property.
That figure dwarfs the city’s actual median household income of $164,801, exceeding it by a massive 204%, according to the report. It also far surpasses the national median household income of $81,604.
With a median home price of more than $1.55 million, ownership in the Silicon Valley city remains out of reach for most residents.
Nearby San Francisco ranked the second most expensive, with monthly housing costs at $8,355 and buyers needing to earn $358,090 annually to afford a home there, the analysis found.
In Los Angeles, monthly costs averaged $7,029, with buyers needing to earn $301,221.
The 10 most expensive metro areas in the US and their average monthly costs:
- 1. San Jose: $11,690
- 2. San Francisco: $8,355
- 3. Santa Cruz: $354,973
- 4. Santa Maria: $305,535
- 5. Los Angeles: $301,221
- 6. San Diego: $293,618
- 7. San Luis Obispo: $280,591
- 8. Oxnard: $276,805
- 9. Salinas: $262,403
- 10. Honolulu, Hawaii: $255,280
The only metro outside California to crack the top 10 was Honolulu.
The divide across the country is stark.
The gap between the income needed to buy a home in San Jose compared to Huntington, West Virginia, the most affordable metro in the analysis, stood at a staggering $447,362.
Despite the sky-high costs, there is a slight silver lining: Income requirements in each of the top 10 cities in the ranking declined more than the average national drop of 3.2% since 2025.
Still, affordability remains a distant dream for many Americans.
The last time a typical US household could comfortably follow the 28% rule — spending no more than 28% of income on housing — was in 2015, when incomes exceeded required levels by just 0.4%.
Today, buyers need 48% more income than the median household earns nationwide.
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DENVER — A strong, late-season snowstorm has moved into northern Colorado and the Front Range Tuesday evening and will continue into Wednesday, making for a hazardous morning commute.
MORE | Denver7 weather blog
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning from midnight Tuesday through 3 p.m. Wednesday.
How much are we getting?
The NWS forecasts 5-8 inches of snow for the Interstate 25 corridor, while areas closer to the foothills could receive up to 9 inches.
For the Eastern Plains, forecasters expect 2-6 inches of snow, a lower total than in the Front Range.
The Northern Mountains and foothills could receive as much as 2 feet of snow, with Estes Park and surrounding areas seeing early accumulation Tuesday afternoon.
Meanwhile, the Southern Mountains are forecasted to get 6-14 inches.
NWS
When will it get here?
In Denver, rain began to transition to snow around 5 p.m. And snow accumulation is expected to continue into Wednesday afternoon, according to the NWS.
Forecasters expect that from Tuesday at midnight to 9 a.m. Wednesday will see the brunt of this storm in the Denver metro area.
NWS
What are the biggest concerns?
That midnight-to-9 a.m. stretch of snowfall should have the biggest impact, according to the NWS.
Wet, heavy snowfall poses the greatest risk for broken branches and tree damage, especially in areas with the largest accumulations, which can cause scattered power outages.
Hazardous conditions, especially for the morning commute in the Denver metro area, are expected due to heavy snowfall. The Colorado Department of Transportation is prepared for these impacts.
CDOT said there will be about 100 plows throughout the storm, focusing on clearing interstates and major roadways first before secondary roads.
Tuesday evening forecast
When will it skidaddle out of here?
Snow accumulation should end north to south by midday Wednesday, with drier weather moving in Wednesday night into Thursday.
Denver will see a high of 39 degrees with a low dropping below freezing on Wednesday. A freeze warning is likely on Wednesday night.
Thursday, we may see a shower or two, but mild springlike conditions will return.
NWS
Weather Links
MORE: Hourly forecast | Latest forecast | Radars | Traffic | Weather Page | 24/7 Weather Stream
Stream live, current temperatures plus radars across Colorado anytime for free on the free Denver7+ app on your TV or watch from your computer or mobile phone anytime.
The Seattle Mariners have been staring down a difficult decision for weeks now and it’s only getting closer as Bryce Miller nears the end of his rehab assignment.
Two factors Hyphen sees in Bryan Woo’s recent struggles
When Miller makes his return to the big league club, which is now less than two weeks away barring a setback, the Mariners will have six capable starters but only five rotation spots.
The assumption when Miller started the season on the injured list was that he would replace Emerson Hancock when he returned, but Hancock has been Seattle’s best starter thus far, posting a 2.59 ERA over seven starts while striking out batters at a career-best 28.9% clip.
Now it looks as if veteran Luis Castillo could be the top candidate to taken out of the rotation. In seven starts this season, the right-hander has produced a 6.29 ERA and minus-0.8 bWAR.
ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan weighed in on the possibility of Castillo being taken out of the starting rotation when he joined Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Tuesday.
“I think it all depends on where Luis Castillo’s frame of mind is,” Passan said. “If Luis Castillo is open to going to the bullpen, you consider that. And if he is not, then you take a look and see what his willingness to go on the injured list is. And if that’s not the case, then maybe you do consider a six-man rotation. I think there are just lots of different possibilities here.”
For Passan, what Castillo has done for the organization, which includes helping the team reach the playoffs twice, is also an important part of the equation.
“I think what also factors in is Luis Castillo has done this for a really long time at a really high level and been a really important part of the success that you’ve had organizationally, and I don’t take that lightly,” Passan said. “I think the way that you treat people who have done right by you and helped you get into the position (you’re in), they’re not disposable. So you can’t just say to Luis Castillo, you’re not performing right now, you’re going to the pen.
“Well, you could. I just don’t know how well that goes over and I don’t know what sort of precedent that sets for treatment of players going forward.”
Passan added that moving Castillo to the bullpen is the type of “cold” decision a contender has to make sometimes, but that having a productive Castillo is also key for the team.
“Having a productive Luis Castillo makes them much likelier to be a World Series team,” Passan said. “You can get rid of your manager and survive that. But knowing that Castillo has to be around still, you just need to be mindful of the way – not even the way that you’re treating him, because the way that you’re treating him is through your perspective. The question is, how does he feel like he’s being treated? That is imperative here, and if you can thread the needle and figure out a way to solve your problem while still keeping Luis Castillo content, then that’s the ideal (situation). That’s the goal, that is the aim of this whole thing. And it’s a very delicate and difficult subject.”
Castillo in line for positive regression?
While it has been a struggle for Castillo early on, Passan sees some reason to believe his numbers will level out with more starts. He pointed to Castillo’s 4.25 FIP, which is nearly identical to Bryan Woo’s and better than Logan Gilbert’s. However, he is concerned with Castillo’s career-low groundball rate.
“Ever since he’s come to Seattle, he’s been much more of a flyball pitcher. But he’s down to a 33% ground ball rate this year. Not good,” Passan said. “I will say this, the positive regression is going to come in the form of runners being stranded. He’s got a strand rate right now of only 58.8%, league average is somewhere in the 70-plus range.”
Hear the full conversation at this link or in the audio player in this story. Listen to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.
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