(PatriotWise.com) — A non-disclosure agreement signed last year by Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) could involve a Chinese-based company looking to build an EV battery plant in Big Rapids, Fox News reported.
Based on documents obtained by Fox News, Slotkin signed the non-disclosure agreement in January of last year with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. The NDA was amended in December 2022 to include two redacted projects. However, the amended NDA also stated that the agreement applied to “any potential Development Project identified as confidential.”
While the two projects specified are unknown, because the amended NDA added “any potential” project, it could also cover the proposed EV battery plant from Gotion, a subsidiary of the Chinese-based Hefei.
One month before Slotkin signed the initial non-disclosure agreement, Gotion entered into a confidentiality agreement with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, according to documents obtained by Fox. Gotion also entered into a confidentiality agreement with the city of Big Rapids in August 2022.
The amended NDA appears to contradict Rep. Slotkin’s previous denial.
In June, a spokesperson for Slotkin’s senatorial campaign told Fox that the Michigan Democrat did not sign any non-disclosure agreement involving Gotion or any other Chinese-based company.
When Fox sought comment on the recently obtained documents, the spokesperson again denied that Slotkin signed any NDA involving Gotion, calling the claim “patently false.”
In a statement last Wednesday, the spokesperson told Fox that the NDA Rep. Slotkin signed in January 2022 was to discuss building a General Motors EV battery plant in her district. The spokesperson said any attempt to “conflate” the facts is “a dishonest political attack.”
Slotkin is running to replace retiring Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow in 2024. She is considered the favorite for the Democratic nomination.
Former US Ambassador Joseph Cella, who co-founded the Michigan-China Economic and Security Review Group, told Fox News that signing a non-disclosure agreement potentially involving a project proposed by a company linked to the Chinese government is “highly irregular.” He described Slotkin’s decision as “reckless” and said it showed a “gross lack of prudential judgment.”
Copyright 2023, PatriotWise.com
