Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

US drops case against MIT professor accused of ties to China
ap ^ | 01/21/2022

Posted on 01/21/2022 5:38:34 AM PST by devane617

The Justice Department dropped charges Thursday against a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor accused of concealing ties to the Chinese government, a further setback to a federal initiative that was set up to prevent economic espionage and theft by Beijing of trade secrets and academic research.

The department revealed its decision in the case against Gang Chen in a filing in federal court in Boston, saying it could no longer meet its burden of proof.

U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins, the top federal prosecutor in Massachusetts, said the move was “in the interests of justice” and was the result of new information the government had received about the allegations.

“After a careful assessment of this new information in the context of all the evidence, our office has concluded that we can no longer meet our burden of proof at trial,” Rollins said. “As prosecutors, we have an obligation in every matter we pursue to continually examine the facts while being open to receiving and uncovering new information.”

The outcome, which had been expected and was earlier recommended by prosecutors in Boston, is a blow to a Justice Department effort known as the China Initiative, which was set up in 2018 to crack down on Chinese economic espionage and trade secret theft. A key prong of the initiative has focused on academics in the U.S. accused of concealing research ties to China on grant applications. But critics have long said the effort unduly targets researchers based on ethnicity and that it chills academic collaboration.

(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: china; gangchen
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-40 next last
not surprised.
1 posted on 01/21/2022 5:38:34 AM PST by devane617
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: devane617

Wow. Deep State’s not even trying to hide it anymore...


2 posted on 01/21/2022 5:39:52 AM PST by mewzilla (Those aren't masks. They're muzzles. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: devane617

The Big Guy got his 10%.


3 posted on 01/21/2022 5:41:02 AM PST by Fido969 (45 is Superman!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Fido969

China has all the pictures.


4 posted on 01/21/2022 5:42:31 AM PST by devane617 (RUN FOR LOCAL ELECTED OFFICE! COUNCIL,SCHOOL BOARD, ETC.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: devane617
Some people might be upset by this decision. On the other hand, some people are quite pleased.


5 posted on 01/21/2022 5:45:54 AM PST by Leaning Right (The steal is real.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: devane617

But critics have long said the effort unduly targets researchers based on ethnicity and that it chills academic collaboration.

Never mind if laws were broken, esp. laws against espionage or stealing trade secrets; the import thing is CRT.


6 posted on 01/21/2022 5:52:21 AM PST by Flick Lives
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Flick Lives

“the import thing is CRT.”

The rest of the world is no doubt laughing their asses off at the US.


7 posted on 01/21/2022 5:59:23 AM PST by devane617 (RUN FOR LOCAL ELECTED OFFICE! COUNCIL,SCHOOL BOARD, ETC.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

Comment #8 Removed by Moderator

To: devane617

So he outsmarted them and concealed his connections and got away with it.


9 posted on 01/21/2022 6:02:11 AM PST by 1Old Pro (Let's make crime illegal again!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: devane617

How much money changed hands?

Rhetorical ...


10 posted on 01/21/2022 6:02:13 AM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #11 Removed by Moderator

Comment #12 Removed by Moderator

To: devane617

Our government is filled with traitors.


13 posted on 01/21/2022 6:05:47 AM PST by Rocky (The forces of tyranny expand inexorably to fill the space made available for their existence. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: devane617
Somebody leaned on someone until they dropped charges.
So now you can't suspect a Chinese spy if he is Chinese?

14 posted on 01/21/2022 6:06:05 AM PST by BitWielder1 (I'd rather have Unequal Wealth than Equal Poverty.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: devane617

No kidding.


15 posted on 01/21/2022 6:07:46 AM PST by sauropod (Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad. Life is risk, your highness.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #16 Removed by Moderator

To: devane617
Rachael Rollins wiki:

In July 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Rollins to be the United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts. Republican U.S. Senator Tom Cotton said he would try to prevent Rollins from being confirmed, saying she supported policies that have contributed to an increase in violent crime. Senator Ted Cruz also criticized her for stating she would not prosecute certain crimes.[26] In September 2021, a committee vote to advance Rollins’ nomination was delayed after Cotton wanted more time to convince colleagues to oppose her.[27][28]

On September 30, 2021, her nomination was stalled in committee by an 11–11 vote.[29] On December 8, 2021, Vice President Kamala Harris cast a tie-breaking vote on the Senate's motion to invoke cloture on, as well as to confirm, Rollins's nomination.[30] On December 18, 2021 the United States Marshals Service refused Rollins’ request for a full time security after threats against her life due to an assessment of low actual risk.[31] On January 10, 2022, she was sworn-in as the United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts.[32]

17 posted on 01/21/2022 6:10:39 AM PST by maggief
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: maggief

Follow the stink. This needs to be looked at closely by Senate Republicans.


18 posted on 01/21/2022 6:14:06 AM PST by devane617 (RUN FOR LOCAL ELECTED OFFICE! COUNCIL,SCHOOL BOARD, ETC.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: ping jockey

This whole thing is amazing, in a tragic sort of way. We are appeasing China in much the same way as the UK and France appeased Hitler before WW II.

But at least the UK and France didn’t actually fund Germany’s rearmament.


19 posted on 01/21/2022 6:14:27 AM PST by Leaning Right (The steal is real.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: devane617

What is surprising, too, is that the odious FBI thinks that Americans are so mentally challenged that we can’t see what a despicably rogue organization they are.

I was going to say “they have become,” but it appears this has been going on since...forever.


20 posted on 01/21/2022 6:23:23 AM PST by Maris Crane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-40 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson