By: Mark Glennon*
Mike Barry is a very popular guy in Manteno, Illinois. Over the last fourteen years, he coached thousands of five- to fourteen-year olds on the Manteno Wildcats football team, which he founded along with the league it plays in, the 18 Youth Tackle Football League. The village of just 9,100 residents is full of parents and former players grateful for the countless hours he devoted.
But Barry was abruptly fired from his volunteer position on June 7 by the team’s board, with no reasons given, infuriating many in the town who think they know why: Barry has been among those speaking up against the town’s Gotion project – a lithium-battery factory for electric vehicles to be built by a Chinese company. Further suspicion is that village officials who support the project retaliated by encouraging Barry’s termination by the team’s board.
The project was already extremely controversial. Earlier polling showed opposition among area residents exceeding support by over two to one, with 43% being strongly opposed. Opposition is based on Gotion’s links to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), environmental issues, massive taxpayer subsidies and the likelihood of Chinese spying. The subsidies include $536 million from the State of Illinois and eligibility for another $8.5 billion of federal tax credits, all for a plant that will cost Gotion just $2 billion and purportedly will create only 2,600 jobs. Litigation is ongoing and a similar Gotion project in Michigan is also facing intense opposition.
Most recently, a group of U.S. lawmakers submitted evidence tying Gotion to forced labor of the Uyghur population in China.
Barry’s termination has ignited more fire.
About 50 of his supporters rallied Monday prior to a village board meeting where citizens spoke angrily in Barry’s favor and chastised the village board for what they believe was its influence in Barry’s termination, as reported by the Daily Journal. Several village board members denied any village connection to Barry’s dismissal and, according to the Journal, there’s no apparent connection between Barry’s public comments on Gotion and his dismissal.
On the other hand, the team’s board gave no reason for firing Barry, as the Journal wrote.
But many Gotion opponents who support Barry have little or no doubt he was punished for his public opposition to Gotion and that the village had a hand in it. One is Amanda Piker, a leader of Concerned Citizens of Manteno, the opposition organization. “There is no question in my mind that the decision to terminate Mike Barry from his [athletic director] position was retaliation for Mike speaking out at Village Board meetings against Gotion,” she told me. “I feel this was directed by the Mayor of Manteno, Tim Nugent,” she said.
Barry himself is equally firm about what happened. “I most definitely believe me speaking out about Gotion and their employees who reside in my neighborhood had a strong connection to my dismissal from the Wildcat board since the man that wanted me off the board has strong connections to the village,” he told me.
Tempers remain very hot.
The second development in Manteno’s Gotion battle is actually a non-development, but exasperating. It’s the deafening silence of Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois. His voice should be key as an Illinoisan and the ranking Democratic member of the House Select Committee on the CCP. That committee serves as a watchdog over CCP meddling in the U.S. The committee has been extremely critical of Gotion’s U.S. activities and its CCP connections. It’s chairman and committee member Rep. Darin LaHood (D-IL) are sponsors of the No Gotion Act that aims to block Gotion’s federal tax credits.
The committee is controlled by Republicans who are mostly hawkish toward the CCP, yet Democrat Krishnamoorthi has generally been equally hawkish and supported most of the committee’s other efforts.
But when it comes to Gotion, Krishnamoorthi has been stone-cold mute. Not a word from him about Gotion’s CCP connections, its huge subsidies, its likely use for Chinese industrial spying, its environmental impact or its connections to forced labor camps in China.
Why?
Not much theorizing is needed there. Gotion’s Manteno project is fellow Democrat JB Pritzker’s pet project, as is the equally controversial project in Michigan for Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
If that’s not the reason for your silence, Rep. Krishnamoorthi, tell us what is.
It goes beyond Krishnamoorthi. No Illinois Democrat has questioned the project. Amanda Piker of the Gotion opposition group thinks she knows why: “After multiple calls and emails to various state agencies, I feel the Governor has directed these agencies to stand down and not address any of our questions or concerns,” she told me. “Many offices will speak to you but will say they have orders to not address Gotion concerns,” she said.
Pritzker has refused from the start to answer any questions whatsoever about Gotion. Last year, he dismissed Gotion opponents as “xenophobes” and “MAGA Republicans” and pointedly refused to answer written questions put to him by GOP lawmakers. In September, he responded to those questions by writing, “The questions you have outlined in your letter are unserious and nothing more than political grandstanding. I don’t have time to engage in your games because there is serious work to do governing as the people of this state elected me to do.”
*Mark Glennon is founder of Wirepoints.
Wirepoints is following the Gotion controversy closely. All our major columns on it are collected here.
Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
The state’s existing buyout program for its own pensions is the precedent for Chicago, which should be a warning: Look out for similar exaggerated claims and shoddy analysis.
Most new gas, diesel vehicle sales would be banned in Illinois by 2035 under proposal – Chicago Sun-Times | Wirepoints
It’s a shame that Mike Barry was terminated from the football team and league he was terminated from. The Democrats in Illinois and nationally are vengeful against people who disagree with them. Governor Pritzker is wrong about giving away taxpayer money to fund this project in Manteno which. clearly is a bad project for the taxpayers of Illinois.
Trump is very vengeful with the people who disagree with him, even with people from his own party.
I’m struck by the impressive knowledge and insight of Wirepoints readers. Illinois, once a beacon of beauty and prosperity, seems like a distant memory. Here’s hoping we can resurrect that for our kids and grandkids—perhaps by electing leadership that’s more than just mediocre.
The down votes come from the Pot Heads living in their parents’ basement. If they were able to get good jobs they would have to move out of the basement.
So many watchdogs (goons) are closely monitoring this thread, as seen from the flood of down-votes. Their concern is genuine, reflecting widespread citizen interest, particularly from Gotin, which has the most at stake. The Governor and his team have been frustratingly vague about their plans, which should serve as a warning to all. The Chinese consistently prioritize their own interests, a lesson many nations are learning belatedly. It’s encouraging to see Illinoisans awakening to this reality. Thank you, Wirepoints, for prioritizing this critical issue. Please continue to shine a light on it.
“The Chinese consistently prioritize their own interests”. Of course they do. Everyone prioritizes
their own interest, that includes the U.S. and also Donald Trump.
Do you mean Pritzker? What does Donald Trump have to do with this article?
I’m pointing out that everyone acts in their own self interest. Nations, businesses, and people like Trump and Pritzker.
Ultimately, the only hope for the EV experiment to be successful, is for electricity to be both abundant and abundantly cheap. Without that, making batteries is a waste of resources that would be better used elsewhere. A gas station is a viable business because there is a margin on the cost of gas and the selling price. For this reason the country has millions of gas stations. If a business that installs, operates DC fast chargers wants to have a similar margin between the cost of the power and the price people are willing to pay for a charge. That… Read more »
I like your take on gas stations, but one of the biggest reasons people like EVs and charging them at home, is they don’t have to go to a gas station. Apparently many people hate going to the gas station.
Well you never want to keep an EV in your garage, especially when charging. Same for ebikes. The fire hazard.
Socialist regimes have been usurped by a minority, typically ranging from 2% to 20% of the population, who consolidate power once established and its happening in Illinois. Consider the example of HB2412 enacted by the Democrats in Illinois.
To attract a battery plant, Illinois should engage enterprising US inverters like Elon Musk.
History shows the consequences when countries embrace Chinese initiatives like its Belt and Road. Illinois’ already precarious situation will only deteriorate further if such paths are pursued.
China doesn’t have to do much spying now. Those days ended with China’s ascendancy as an international economic power. China can now buy, rather than steal secrets from us. There are more than enough politicians, CEOs, and others willing to sell us out if the price is right and China has the “right price”.
Although China’s economy has been incredible in the past couple of decades, it will be less so going forward. People who still see China as an economic threat to the U.S. are not well informed. That being said, China is not a friend, and should never be trusted.
Democrats are communist trash so its obvious why they love evil China so much, like fang fang Eric Swallowswell
Incorrect. The US has pushed China into agreements all over the world with countries that no longer want to deal in dollars or be victims of US colonialism. Countries do not want to use a currency where reserves are confiscated, tarrifs implemented, or sanctions issued. Basically the US has stupidly weaponized the dollar to the point where it will die in a multi polar global economy, which is happening now. The US represents only 4 percent of the worlds population, and we have very effectively in the last 10 years to get the global south to hate us. We are… Read more »
There should be quite a bit of nuance to your statements that could take up several volumes, but most, you are correct. However, America still does produces many things, especially arms, oil, design, infrastructure, financial instruments, agricultural products. But much of our assembly and manufacture has been offshored for cheaper labor. You are also correct that the US weaponized the dollar – the freezing Russian reserve things was the tipping point, no sane country on earth risk keeping dollars with the Fed in case we get on their wrong side. However, the alternative of the BRICS are even more dysfunctional… Read more »
I think that soft break-up of the US is far closer than most realize. If Biden wins, those wanting it will grow to majority in deep red states. Not a violent Civil War, but something like, “Sorry, but we are not going along with x,y,z….”
Mark-Have you seen the Civil War Movie? Quite graphic. Here is the trailer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDyQxtg0V2w
The scary part is what if this happens and what will the catalyst be that starts it.
Agreed. You don’t know how it would end. I am not hoping it happens, just pointing out the realities.
There’s a pundit I listen to who advocates for this. Pass state laws to kick out the abusive three lettered agencies. And start arresting them when they don’t leave. It’s not a civil war, it’s a soft break up. The federal government might not operate in some states in my lifetime.They’ll run to the courts but they’ll just ignore the courts. Texas has already started this, ignoring Biden admin court orders saying to take down their own border wall fencing. Abbott told them “come enforce it” and had the Texas national guard standing at the fence. Biden backed off that,… Read more »
Yes, and check out this Utah bill that passed, laying out a process for that kind of soft refusal. I plan to write about it.https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/19/us/utahs-sovereignty-act-overrule-federal/index.html
Unfortunately, Illinois will not be one of the states.
Not close Mark, its happening making me believe its part of the plan. See my comment on what is happening with our reserve currency status.
Correct, the U.S. might be in decline but there is no other country in a position to mount a serious challenge to our economy or military. Five years ago, many others and I thought China could pass us by, but China’s problems have come to light, and they are extremely serious. They are closer to a civil uprising than we are. Basically, we continue to lead the world by default.
Yes, China has serious political intrigue that makes the US seem like amateur hour. Xi has made himself dictator and uses his power in authoritarian ways, and there is much behind the scenes dissent in a country of a billion people. Biden’s Weekend at Bernie gig is almost comical if his handlers weren’t intentionally causing so much harm; but compared to Xi’s actual purges, the US pales in comparison. Remember two years ago when Xi had the former leader and his political rival escorted from the CCP congress? Imagine Biden forcefully removing Obama from the DNC and never really hearing… Read more »
China knows its economy better than we know its economy. We will fail in getting China to do anything with tariffs, sanctions or god forbid playing games with their reserves which would be an act of war. They have a thousand ways to Sunday to respond to all of the above which are essentially the panic of a US that cant compete so it tries pitiful financial games. China can today choose to dump its US treasury holdings. It can quietly pass tariffs onto us with increased prices. We’re not going to sanction China into doing anything. Sanctions failed against… Read more »
Decades? At the rate we’re printing dollars one decade if we’re lucky. I agree with everything but the first sentence about pushing China into agreements. Maybe I missed something. We have weaponized the dollar and it will not end well. Saudi Arabia killed the petrodollar just recently. Buy gold.
Having held expat positions in Asia, including China, for 21 years, I can affirm much of what was said in this thread about America and China is true. The US once held a significant advantage with the US dollar as the reserve currency. However, our government’s increasing greed led to excessive printing of dollars, resulting in inflation and the depreciation of the dollar’s value It’s crucial to note that approximately 60% of US dollars circulate outside the US economy, effectively exporting our inflation abroad. and the world hates us for it. When the US loses its reserve currency status, these… Read more »
Forget China, that just muddies the water, our very lives depend on China in hundreds of ways. Including batteries which we are too stupid to make ourselves. The only valid arguments against this plant are, government hand outs, and that the market for EV’s has pretty much died. All the CCP, child labor etc. arguments are hypocritical considering nearly everything we buy comes from CCP industry and labor. Ford and others all had plans for Chinese battery agreements. And they are all jumping ship.
Ford halts work on $3.5B EV battery factory with China’s CATL | TechCrunch
I would say more corruption than anything else, remember all of them lock step with the jabby jab
The CCP is a small minority in China. It’s their Deep State. Hopefully gone when Taiwan is resolved.
Rick, routine imports from China are one thing. I have no problem with most of that. But it’s an entirely different matter having them come here and construct a plant in a critical sector like batterie, with a company so tied to the CCP. They are a national security threat according to countless voices from both parties. Obama’s former CIA direct said it about Gotion. So did his top counterintelligence guy. Outfits like Gotion rip off our technology and it has to stop. The Five Eyes were on 60 Minutes explaining it, though they did not mention Gotion it clearly… Read more »
The market for EVs has not died, but the growth of the market has slowed. Just under 1.2 million EVs sold last year and growth might only be 5% – 10% higher this year. Not what you want to see if you’re and automaker but not a dying market either. EV sales are up worldwide and are taking off in the largest, and most important vehicle market in the world, China. The EU is also showing slower EV market growth but has more acceptance of EVs than the U.S. Ford is postponing it’s battery plant and other EV investments until… Read more »
Gotion is coming like it or not. Good jobs are coming like it or not.
Many against it will work there when they find out they can make a good living.
EV’s are the future; many states are outlawing the sale of Combustion engine cars in 10 years.
Global warming is real and is happening right before your eyes.
Not everyone agrees with you.
This is not the first time that I have a different opinion.
Mark my words many of the workers at Grotion will be from the local Manteno community. Good paying jobs are hard to find.
Years ago, everyone was against a new Walmart, very same people where shopping there once it opened.
They may not like China, but a lot of Illinois Soybeans get exported to China. I guess they like their money.
Once the government money is gone they will all be out of jobs
Different perspectives are a good thing. I think where you are seeing disagreement with your statement is with regard to EVs and associating internal combustion engines with global warming. EVs are losing momentum big time. States that try to enforce compliance may very well have new political leaders ready to repeal the mandates. Time will tell.
50% of people who had EVs are going back to combustion engine vehicles, no one wants these piles of crap EVs. Demand isnt there, only thing funding the EV industry are taxpayer $$$. Elon isnt a genius, hes a government welfare grifter with EV subsidies. Pretty much all EV makers are going or have gone bankrupt. Just another government scam.
California: In September 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order aiming to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered passenger vehicles by 2035. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is tasked with developing regulations to implement this order. Washington: In March 2021, Washington passed legislation setting a goal to phase out the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2030, making it the earliest such target in the United States. New York: In September 2021, New York followed suit with a similar plan, aiming to phase out the sale of new fossil fuel-powered cars and light trucks by 2035. Other states… Read more »
If EVs are so great, why haven’t governments replaced their fleets with EVs?
It’s called leading by example.
The post office has started to replace it’s current mail trucks with EVs
The Post Office? Not sure I would use them as an example of sound decision making.
I’m not saying it’s sound decision making or that I support it. Just stating that government has started to turn to EVs.
In all probability, those 3 states will alter those initiatives/laws as the dates grow near.
Illinois politicians follow California and New York so it will sigh up also.
There was another battery factory in Kankakee county for decades. How many were injured from lead poisoning over that time?
Who Owns this factory?
Stellantis And Mercedes-Benz Halt Work On EV Battery Factories.
Automotive Cells Company (ACC), a joint venture between Stellantis, Mercedes-Benz, and TotalEnergies, halted work on two electric vehicle battery gigafactories in Europe, citing a slowdown in EV sales growth.
Yes because no one wants the clown EV cars
Mercedes isnt the Mercedes of old, just a trash company making trash cars partnering with Stellantis again
Your comment on Mercedes shows you know nothing about the automobile industry.
Where will the batteries go to if more EV companies file bankruptcy?
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/18/investing/electric-car-maker-fisker-bankruptcy/index.html
To the surviving EV companies. It’s not how many EV companies there are but how many EV’s are sold. In the U.S. last year about 1.1 million EV’s were sold and this years forcasts show about 1.3 – 1.6 million EV’s sold. But it’s also true that European and U.S. EV demand growth is slowing.
They will dump them somewhere, hopefully in China Biden’s backyard. What a shame all those kids in Africa digging up the minerals for nothing.
Boat anchors
GOP-MAGA- Make America Great Again
DEM-MCGA -Make China Great Again