Rep. Young Kim is giving away $5,200 in campaign donations she received from James Su, the West Covina media mogul whose home and business were raided by the FBI last month, though authorities declined to comment or identify the target of the investigation. The Anaheim Hills Republican's campaign says the money — $2,700 from 2018 and $2,500 from 2021 — will instead go to Waymakers, the nonprofit that runs the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force.
First to Cut Ties With Su's Donations
Kim's campaign spokesperson Chris Pack said the decision was made after allegations about Su came to light, and that Kim chose to route the funds specifically through the trafficking task force rather than simply return the money, according to the San Bernardino Sun. Kim's campaign says it had no knowledge of the allegations against Su when it accepted the donations, and she is described as the first politician to divert money received from him. Pack also called on fellow Rep. Ken Calvert to match the $5,200 donation to a human trafficking victims support group.
Waymakers has administered the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force since founding it in 2004, providing direct assistance to victims across the county, according to Waymakers. That local mission gives Kim's redirected funds a concrete landing spot beyond the political optics of the moment. The county’s Human Trafficking Advocacy Program is another local effort.
Who Is James Su?
Su, a naturalized American citizen born in Beijing, co-founded EDI Media Inc. in West Covina in 1993, building it into one of the largest Chinese-language multimedia platforms in the country, generating more than 2,000 hours of annual programming reaching an estimated 35 million people worldwide, per the Los Angeles Times. Su and his wife Slina, along with EDI Media, have supported local groups including district afterschool programs, and the company has produced videos for local politicians and contributed to city programs in West Covina. Su has donated across the political spectrum over the years, giving to Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, the Republican National Committee, and city leaders from Arcadia to West Covina, in addition to Curt Hagman.
Federal scrutiny of Su's media operations is not new. Reports and investigations dating back to 2015 found that California-based G&E Studio Inc., affiliated with Su, was 60% owned by China Radio International to broadcast pro-Beijing content across U.S. radio markets. Su's company was required to register as a foreign agent after the 2015 investigation, after printing and distributing the U.S. edition of a publication affiliated with Chinese state media.
FBI Raids Expanded Well Beyond West Covina
The FBI raided Su's home and business in West Covina on July 28, part of a broader sweep that also hit a $25 million Beverly Hills mansion and involved warrants or subpoenas at Ontario International Airport, as well as properties tied to attorney Frank Lizarraga, former general counsel for the Southern California Association of Governments, according to the same day's reporting from the Los Angeles Times. The prior week, federal officials also conducted searches involving Ontario City Councilman Alan Wapner and San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman. FBI spokesperson Laura Eimiller has said the details tying San Bernardino County officials to the raids remain sealed by the court, and no arrests have been made in the ongoing investigation. Andrew Cowan, Su's attorney, said he did not know why warrants were served, and maintained that Su made legal campaign donations.
Legal experts note the case sits at a genuine gray area. Federal law bars foreign nationals from making contributions in federal, state, or local elections, but naturalized U.S. citizens like Su remain legally free to donate to political campaigns under the Federal Election Campaign Act, per Ballotpedia. According to the Federal Election Commission, federal law prohibits foreign nationals from making contributions, donations or expenditures in connection with federal, state or local elections. FARA registration and the federal prohibition on foreign-national contributions are distinct issues. That distinction is central to the story: Su has not been charged with any crime, and the search warrant affidavits remain sealed.
The Arcadia Case That Raised the Stakes
The scrutiny around Su's political giving comes months after Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang was charged in May and agreed to plead guilty to acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government. Federal prosecutors said Wang operated a local news website called US News Center that published PRC-favorable content, according to the Department of Justice. Wang faces up to 10 years in prison at sentencing scheduled for October 6. Records show Su donated $500 to Wang in 2022.
Foreign political money carries broader enforcement risks beyond this case.
Other Southern California politicians have also taken money connected to Su. Financial disclosure records show Arcadia City Councilmember Michael Cao paid EDI Media Inc. more than $17,000 between July and September 2022 for campaign video production and broadcast airtime, sparking local calls for political transparency after the raids, as reported by Hey SoCal. Rep. Judy Chu has accepted more than $25,000 from Su and has appeared at his Chinese American film festival and other community events; she has said she is waiting for more information from federal investigators and that such investigations must be taken seriously to prevent corruption and illegal foreign influence from infecting government and media. West Covina Mayor Tony Wu has said he never accepted campaign donations from Su.
Political Fallout for Kim
Kim, who has raised more than $30 million from nearly 200,000 donors since 2018, has cast herself as a leading critic of the Chinese Communist Party, according to her campaign. Pack noted that the Chinese government has targeted and threatened Kim with arrest. Calvert spokesperson Calvin Moore criticized Kim's acceptance of Su-linked money and said voters deserve an explanation for how she has handled foreign influence and other questionable cash. A company associated with Su registered as a foreign agent.
The widening investigation has broader community implications separate from the specific allegations against Su or the officials tied to the raids. The FBI investigation remains ongoing, with no arrests to date, and Kim's move to redirect the funds is, so far, the only instance of a politician doing so.
