US lawmakers blast ‘Enter the Dragon' hearing's anti-China ‘conspiracy' theories
Democrats accused Republicans of pushing conspiracy theories about
China in a clash on Wednesday over Beijing's role in the US
energy sector – days ahead of a potential Senate vote on a tax bill that would penalise American companies for having financial relationships with Chinese energy businesses.
The fiery exchanges began at the outset of a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee, with Republican Senator
Ted Cruz of Texas alleging that China's Communist Party was 'funnelling millions of dollars' into environmental lawsuits against US fossil fuel companies.
Cruz highlighted the non-profit Energy Foundation China, a non-profit headquartered in San Francisco with an office in Beijing, citing its members' ties with the Chinese government and ruling party.
'This is not remotely a grass-roots non-profit. It is a foreign policy weapon disguised as philanthropy run by Communist Party operatives,' he said.
Democrats were quick to push back on his claims, with Rhode Island's Sheldon Whitehouse, ranking member of the subcommittee on federal courts and oversight, lodging his own accusations.
'This hearing is a perfect display of projection: blaming your adversary for what you are doing. Dark money? Judicial capture? Propaganda? Oh my! The fossil fuel industry would have nothing to do with those things,' he said pointedly.
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