A rally brought hundreds of people to Mecosta County to protest the proposed EV battery plant that is set to come to Green Charter Township.
People from across the state, including politicians showed up to a horse ranch in Green Township to voice concerns about the proposed battery plant and the company behind it.
“It’s absolutely terrifying when you read the articles of association for Gotion where they swear allegiance to the Chinese communist party,” Michigan republican Party Chair, Kristina Karamo admits. “So, any talk that this company is not controlled by the Chinese Communist Party is a flat out lie.”
Concerns over Gotion, Inc.’s ties with the Chinese Communist Party rose after people pointed out the company’s Articles Association on the business website that says the company will ‘carry out Party activities in accordance with the Constitution of the Communist Party of China.’ Gotion North America Manufacturing has since dismissed claims and concerns calling them baseless.
A number of Republican lawmakers spoke during Saturday’s rally including state Senator Lana Theis from Brighton, Congressman John Moolenaar and Michigan’s Republican Party Chair Kristina Karamo. they explained their worries and called out the Senate Appropriations Committee that approved $175 million in taxpayer money Friday to help fund the project.
“It’s a historic mistake, while other businesses and economies are moving away from China. For Michigan to depend our economic growth strategy on China -- it’s just the wrong strategy,” Congressman Moolenaar states.
Along with issues over the companies ties to the Chinese Communist Party, speakers at the rally also raised environmental concerns.
“It’s obvious that there are issues here that haven’t been fully thought through and people deserve better than that. It’s governmental malfeasance to just shove this type of thing through using taxpayer dollars,” Sen. Theis acknowledges.
During Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s visit to Cadillac Friday, she said it’s safer for the plant to be in Mecosta County than to get the materials shipped from a foreign government.
“It’s better for our homeland security for us to have this technology being built here by Michiganders. So, I reject a lot of the misinformation that’s out there. I think it’s dangerous and I think it’s for a political purpose,” Gov. Whitmer claims.
Sen. Theis disagreed with Gov. Whitmer’s statement and says there were better options the Appropriations Committee could have chosen.
“We don’t need to partner with the Chinese Communist Party to create these things and we shouldn’t be,” Sen Theis says.
While the back and forth is expected to continue one way or another, the plan is not a done deal yet. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) could still decide to not give Gotion funding.
