Linda Solar, the previous aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul who was just lately arrested and accused of appearing on behalf of the Chinese language Communist Celebration, had touted “equity” insurance policies in her place, a newly-resurfaced video from 2021 exhibits.
Linda Solar, 40, and her husband, Chris Hu, 41, had been arrested on Tuesday. Solar was charged with violating and conspiring to violate the International Brokers Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling and cash laundering conspiracy.
The resurfaced video, which was a “Women in Government Leadership Webinar” introduced by the New York chapter of the nonprofit Tzu Chi Basis, was recorded on Dec. 16, 2021. On the time, Solar served as deputy chief of employees to Hochul.
“When people say diversity and inclusion, I think everybody agrees, or most people generally agree, that it’s a good thing,” Solar stated within the video. “But I think right now we also need to bring in the word equity.”
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The official added that fairness was “one way to make sure that all of the people who are at the table have equal access to making sure that their ideas and their thoughts are heard.”
“And unfortunately…we don’t have that much leadership or representation of Asian Americans in, you know, the corporate world, the government field,” Solar added.
Later within the webinar, Solar appeared to reference a 2018 govt order signed by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo that made “diversity and inclusion and equity a top priority.”
“It’s basically making sure that there is one person at every single state agency that answers directly to the commissioner, or the highest person in that particular agency, that makes diversity and inclusion and equity a top priority,” Solar stated within the video.
Solar defined that if there are 10 candidates for a job place, “there should be at least five people in that pool who also happen to be diverse candidates.”
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Prosecutors from the Brooklyn District Legal professional’s workplace consider that Solar acted on behalf of the Chinese language authorities on plenty of events, together with by looking for a high-level state go to to China, and stopping representatives of the Taiwanese authorities from assembly with American officers.
Chinese language officers allegedly organized for hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in transactions for Hu, who carried out enterprise in China. Hu and Solar are accused of utilizing the cash to purchase property in Lengthy Island, New York, and Honolulu value greater than $6 million, along with a 2024 Ferrari Roma sports activities automobile.
In 2023, Solar was fired from her place after “evidence of misconduct” was found.
“This individual was hired by the Executive Chamber more than a decade ago,” Hochul press secretary Avi Small stated in a press release on Tuesday. “We terminated her employment in March 2023 after discovering evidence of misconduct, immediately reported her actions to law enforcement, and have assisted law enforcement throughout this process.”
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On Tuesday evening, Solar’s lawyer Jarrod Schaeffer advised Fox Information Digital that he and Solar are “troubled by aspects of the government’s investigation.”
“We are disappointed by the filing of these charges, which are inflammatory and appear to be the product of an overly aggressive prosecution,” Schaeffer stated. “As we said today in court, our client is eager to exercise her right to a speedy trial and to defend against these accusations in the proper forum – a court of law.”
Fox Information Digital reached out Hochul’s workplace for remark.
Fox Information’ Anders Hagstrom and David Spunt contributed to this report.