Did Feinstein Break The Law For China?

In 2018, it was revealed that Senator Dianne Feinstein had a Chinese spy, Russell Lowe, in her office for almost 20 years. Lowe, who was Feinstein's driver and office manager, was also a liaison to the Asian-American community and attended Chinese consulate functions for the senator. Feinstein, who was Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee at the time, was reportedly shocked when the FBI informed her of the infiltration. While Feinstein insisted that Lowe never had access to classified information and was immediately fired, the incident raised serious concerns about the potential breach of sensitive information. The revelation also brought attention to Feinstein's long-standing ties to China and prompted questions about her husband's business dealings in the country.

Dianne Feinstein's husband profited from her support for China

Dianne Feinstein, a former US senator from California, has been accused of having ties to China that go deeper than an alleged office spy. Feinstein's husband, Richard Blum, has been accused of profiting from her support for China.

In 1986, Feinstein and Shanghai Mayor Jiang Zemin designated several corporate entities for fostering commercial relations, one of which was Shanghai Pacific Partners. Feinstein's husband served as a director, with a financial position of less than $500,000 on one project. This was the only such position in China that the Feinstein family held when Feinstein entered the Senate in 1992.

Feinstein's support for China has been seen as benefiting her husband's efforts to earn profits in the country. In May 1993, Feinstein expressed strong support on the Senate floor for continued trading with China. At the same time, her husband was seeking to raise up to $150 million from investors, including himself, for various Chinese enterprises. Feinstein's husband's investments in China grew significantly after this.

In August 1993, Feinstein and her husband visited Beijing and met with Chinese leaders, including President Jiang. Feinstein's consistent support for China's interests has been seen as benefiting her husband's business dealings in the country.

In 1997, Feinstein's husband's China investments began to draw scrutiny. His firm's largest holding at the time was a $300 million stake in Northwest Airlines, the only airline operator providing nonstop service from the US to China. This position was seen as poised to significantly appreciate in value.

Feinstein has faced criticism for her support for increased trade with China and her dovish stance on the country's human rights abuses. She has also been accused of having a financial conflict of interest due to her husband's business dealings in China. Feinstein has denied these accusations and has stated that her husband's ties to China have not benefited him financially.

In conclusion, while there is evidence that Feinstein's husband profited from her support for China, it is difficult to determine the exact nature and extent of the financial benefits. The full details of the business dealings and the potential impact on Feinstein's political decisions are not fully known.

Feinstein's office was infiltrated by a Chinese spy

In July 2018, it was revealed that a Chinese staff member who worked for Senator Dianne Feinstein for 20 years as her personal driver, gofer, and liaison to the Asian-American community was caught reporting to China's Ministry of State Security. Feinstein was reportedly "mortified" when the FBI alerted her to the infiltration. The staffer, who was listed as an "office director" on payroll records, was subsequently forced to retire and no criminal charges were filed.

According to reports, the FBI had contacted Feinstein five years earlier, warning her about the employee. The employee was later interviewed by authorities but was not charged with any crimes, as he was providing political intelligence rather than classified information, which made prosecution more difficult. Feinstein's office stated that none of their California office staffers had ever had security clearance.

The Chinese spy reportedly had contact with China's Ministry of State Security for an unknown number of years during his time working for Feinstein. It is believed that he was recruited during a trip to Asia several years prior, where he was approached by someone connected to the Ministry of State Security who maintained contact with him on subsequent visits. It is unclear whether he was a willing participant or an unwitting asset.

The revelation raised concerns about the potential security breach and the impact on national security, especially given Feinstein's position as Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee at the time. Investigators concluded that the driver had not leaked any sensitive information. However, former intelligence and law enforcement officials highlighted the seriousness of the breach, noting that a driver could overhear sensitive conversations and have access to devices and offices, providing valuable information to adversaries.

The incident brought attention to Feinstein's ties to China, which included her husband's business dealings and her support for increased trade and conciliatory approaches in political matters.

Feinstein's response to the spy

Feinstein's response to the Chinese spy in her office was to play down the significance of the breach. She said that the FBI had warned her five years ago that an administrative member of her staff was being sought out by the Chinese government to provide information. Feinstein insisted that the staffer never had access to classified or sensitive information and was fired immediately. She also stated that the breach occurred while she was heading the Intelligence Committee.

However, critics have argued that Feinstein owes the country a detailed explanation of how she let a Chinese spy into her inner sanctum. They have pointed out that the staffer worked for her for about 20 years, serving as her driver and office director, and was in a position to gather valuable intelligence for China.

In addition to the spy scandal, Feinstein has also been criticized for her close ties to China, including her husband's business dealings in the country and her support for increased trade with China. There have been calls for an investigation into Feinstein's dealings with China and her potential exposure to Chinese intelligence.

The media's response to the spy

The media's response to the Dianne Feinstein spy scandal was mixed. Some outlets focused on the breach of national security and Feinstein's role in it, while others downplayed the incident, portraying it as a non-issue.

Some media outlets expressed concern over the potential implications of the breach, with one former top Justice Department official calling it "plenty serious". A former CIA clandestine officer explained how valuable a driver could be as an informant, as they would have access to sensitive information and devices, as well as the opportunity to plant listening devices. This is especially concerning given that Feinstein was heading the Intelligence Committee at the time.

However, other media outlets took a more relaxed approach, echoing Feinstein's statement that the individual in question was a junior staffer with no access to classified information, and that the situation was quickly resolved by firing the individual.

The spy scandal also brought attention to Feinstein's ties with China, with some media outlets questioning whether her support for China-friendly policies and her husband's business dealings in the country were influenced by this relationship.

Overall, the media's response to the spy scandal was varied, with some treating it as a serious breach of national security, while others downplayed its significance.

Feinstein's relationship with China

Dianne Feinstein's relationship with China has been the subject of much scrutiny. Feinstein, a Democrat, was a United States senator from California from 1992 until her death in 2023. She was also the mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988. Feinstein's ties to China go back to the opening of US-Chinese diplomatic relations in 1979, when she established a “sister city” relationship with Shanghai. She led a mayoral delegation to China, accompanied by her husband, investor Richard Blum—a trip they made many times as their relationship with China grew.

During the 1980s, Feinstein developed a close friendship with Shanghai's mayor, Jiang Zemin, which substantially enhanced her foreign policy profile. When Feinstein rose to prominent positions in foreign affairs and national security in the US Senate, Jiang rose to the top of the Chinese leadership, serving as chairman of the Central Military Commission, general secretary of the Communist Party, and president of China. Despite a brutal crackdown on practitioners of Falun Gong and alleged human rights atrocities against Tibetans under Jiang's leadership, Feinstein never renounced their friendship.

In 1986, Feinstein and Jiang designated several corporate entities for fostering commercial relations, including Shanghai Pacific Partners, in which Feinstein's husband served as a director. While his financial position was relatively small, Chinese officials viewed the partnership favorably. Feinstein's husband's investments in China grew significantly after this.

In May 1993, Feinstein expressed strong support on the Senate floor for continued trading with China. At the same time, her husband was seeking to raise up to $150 million from investors, including himself, for various Chinese enterprises. Feinstein's support for increased trade with China continued into the 2000s, and she lobbied for permanent normal trading relations with China, which paved the way for its entrance into the World Trade Organization.

Feinstein's husband has stressed that his ties to the Dalai Lama and his criticism of Chinese human rights violations would not have helped him curry favor with the Chinese. However, others have argued that the Feinstein family's privileged position with the Chinese regime may have improved his investment opportunities.

In addition to Feinstein's business dealings with China, there have also been concerns about a potential security breach. In 2018, it was revealed that a Chinese spy had infiltrated Feinstein's office and worked for her for about 20 years. The individual, Russell Lowe, was Feinstein's driver, gofer, and liaison to the Asian-American community. While Feinstein claimed that he never had access to classified information, former intelligence officials have emphasized the seriousness of the breach, noting that a driver would have access to sensitive conversations and devices.

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