The following article, How Democrats Became Beijing’s Favorite Pets, was first published on The Black Sphere.

If you’ve been wondering how America went from a nation wary of foreign influence to a country where its politicians practically hand out membership cards to the CCP, look no further than New York.

Former lieutenant governor and current governor Kathy Hochul just got a starring role in what might be the most brazen example of political obedience since Neville Chamberlain waved a white flag at Hitler. According to trial evidence presented against Linda Sun, a former top New York state official accused of being a Chinese agent, Hochul was “much more obedient” than Andrew Cuomo. That’s right. A Chinese spy literally bragged about controlling the governor’s office, and she did it with glee.

Linda Sun’s name might not be familiar outside Albany, but her influence certainly should be.

Sun didn’t lurk in the shadows or send encrypted messages from a broom closet. Instead, she sat in plain sight, directing the flow of information, and shaping events. In fact, court records show, she convinced Hochul to participate in a Lunar New Year video celebrating China’s New York consulate.

Hochul didn’t hesitate. She smiled for the camera and mouthed the CCP-approved “xin nian kuai le” like an eager intern desperate for approval. Sun then bragged to her Chinese contacts that Hochul listened better than Cuomo, essentially calling the governor a pet eager to obey commands. At this point, “public servant” isn’t a title—it’s a punchline.

Some might call this infiltration. Others might call it influence. I call it volunteering.

Because the Democrats weren’t coerced. Sun didn’t have to hack emails, bribe anyone, or sneak past security. She simply stepped into the office, smiled, and the Democrats fell into line. That’s not a failure of oversight; it’s a feature of their political DNA.

The Democratic Party under Biden, Cuomo, and now Hochul has perfected the art of foreign-friendly governance. The lesson is clear: if Beijing wants influence in New York, they don’t need spies—they just need to know cozy up to Democrats, then hand them instructions.

Of course, the foundation for this kind of behavior goes back decades, but it accelerated under the Biden administration.

China’s influence is not new, but the normalization of it reached absurdity when Hunter Biden’s foreign entanglements became part of the open secret of Washington politics. From lucrative business deals in energy and tech to shell companies funneling money into Biden family accounts, the message to Democrats was simple: selling out your country is not just acceptable; it’s expected.

Receipts abound, including reports on Hunter Biden’s CEFC China Energy connections and congressional investigations into foreign transfers to Biden-related entities. For ambitious Democrats, it became a blueprint: if the Bidens can do it, why not me?

Hochul’s role in this saga is illustrative of a broader problem: the Democrats’ innate willingness to submit to foreign influence without question.

Even though she inherited Linda Sun from Cuomo, the fact that Hochul worked alongside Sun for years without ever pausing to question her proximity to Chinese officials is astonishing. The CCP didn’t need to manipulate her; they just needed to ask nicely. Hochul’s compliance wasn’t just bureaucratic—it was almost performative. Watching her follow Sun’s direction in public appearances and propaganda videos, one gets the sense that Hochul wasn’t participating reluctantly; she was auditioning for obedience.

I’m confident that Sun got all she wanted from Cuomo, as she stroked the “Love Gov’s” ego and possibly more. But she apparently was forced to do her dirty work with him behind closed doors. Consider the contrast with Hochul. .She bent to Sun’s requests without hesitation. The CCP must have been thrilled given the predictable result of Democrats who treat foreign influence like a membership perk.

Some readers might want to argue that Hochul’s behavior was merely the result of naivety or inherited circumstance. Let’s dispense with that nonsense. Working closely with a senior staffer who is coordinating with a foreign power, arranging events on their behalf, and openly boasting of your “obedience” is not something you miss if you have the faintest inkling of responsibility. Naivety doesn’t explain why Hochul smiled for the camera while endorsing the CCP-approved message. It doesn’t explain why there was no public objection. This was voluntary compliance, plain and simple.

The implications go beyond New York.

This isn’t just a local scandal—it’s a template for understanding how Democrats across the country have been compromised by China. From campaign donations to access to information, the CCP has effectively created a class of American politicians eager to serve foreign interests. The Biden administration made it explicit: Chinese money and influence are not only tolerated—they’re normalized. The problem is systemic. If China wants to influence policy, they don’t need a covert operation; they just need Democrats in office. Linda Sun was simply an accelerant, not the spark.

The public deserves to see the full scope. Democrats are literally being rated on their obedience to Beijing. Hochul gets an A+; Cuomo gets a B-. And yet, the media frames these stories as isolated incidents or minor scandals. That’s disingenuous. This is a feature of a political ecosystem in which China operates as both puppet master and benefactor. And the most disturbing part? American voters are often kept in the dark, trusting the press to filter reality. Meanwhile, the CCP gets a front-row seat to watch how easily their influence is accepted.

In Washington, California, and other Democratic strongholds, the pattern repeats. Politicians like Eric Swalwell have been compromised by obvious foreign influence, yet Democrats defend them, excuse them, or simply move on. The narrative is always the same: “No wrongdoing, just unfortunate association.”

That’s Orwellian doublespeak at its finest. The CCP sees opportunity; the Democrats see convenience.

The Linda Sun scandal also illustrates another problem: the casual entanglement of personal ambition with national security.

For years, Democrats have treated foreign influence as a way to fund campaigns, curry favor, and boost status. That’s why the narrative that Hochul “inherited” Sun falls flat. She didn’t inherit anything she didn’t actively participate in. Being complicit isn’t the same as being coerced. She performed. She smiled. She obeyed. And now she is, in effect, a case study in how foreign influence operates in the Democratic Party.

From the perspective of national security, this is alarming. Politicians are meant to represent their constituents, not a foreign government. When the CCP can assess obedience and manipulate messaging without obstruction, the consequences extend far beyond embarrassing press coverage. Policy decisions, public messaging, and strategic priorities are all potentially compromised. Linda Sun’s communications with Chinese officials are a window into a system where obedience to foreign power is more rewarded than loyalty to the American people. The real story is not that Hochul was influenced—it’s that she welcomed it.

Moreover, the CCP doesn’t have to rely on clandestine measures.

Democratic compliance has reached the point where even blatant requests—filming videos for a foreign government, coordinating appearances, giving messaging credit—are met with eagerness. Hochul’s actions demonstrate that the problem isn’t hidden infiltration; it’s open cooperation. And let’s be clear: the CCP recognizes talent. They know the difference between a stubborn, unpredictable politician and one who is eager to comply. Hochul, in their eyes, is a dream candidate: compliant, media-friendly, and eager to advance their agenda under the guise of diplomacy.

So what does this teach the American public? First, we need to stop framing these situations as “infiltrations” or “scandals.” They’re symptoms of a systemic weakness within the Democratic Party. China doesn’t have to compromise Americans; they simply need to identify the willing. Second, the normalization of foreign influence under the Biden administration created a permissive environment in which officials like Hochul could follow orders without questioning loyalty. Third, the media will always attempt to soften the story because Democrats rely on narrative control to obscure reality. Finally, voters need to understand that what we’re witnessing is not isolated malfeasance—it’s a blueprint of compliance.

Linda Sun may eventually face trial, and Hochul may eventually answer questions, but the lesson is broader:

Democrats, when given the opportunity, will consistently serve foreign interests without public scrutiny. And that is the core problem: it is voluntary, it is systematic, and it is sanctioned by precedent. America doesn’t need to fear covert spies; it needs to fear elected officials who happily hand over influence to them.

In conclusion, the Hochul-Sun scandal is more than a news story. It’s a diagnosis of a political party that prioritizes obedience to foreign powers over service to its own country. The CCP doesn’t need to plant spies; they just need to identify Democrats willing to take the script. Hochul’s performance was not a one-off. It’s a template, a warning, and a confirmation that the Democratic Party’s approach to China has gone from negligent to eager participation. The public may laugh at the idea of a governor being called “obedient,” but the reality is terrifying. This isn’t espionage; it’s a cultural disease within the party—a willingness to serve foreign masters with a smile.

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