New Jersey Democrat Mikie Sherrill faces criticism over CCP-linked donations

New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill is facing criticism after a businessman with ties to the Chinese Communist Party made multiple donations totaling tens of thousands of dollars to her campaign.

Pin Ni, the founder of Wanxiang America Corporation, donated $60,000 to the One Giant Leap super PAC supporting Sherrill’s campaign in the form of two checks, in addition to giving the maximum individual donation of $5,800 directly to Sherrill’s campaign this summer, according to records reviewed by Fox News Digital and First of all reported by the New York Post.

Political campaigns in the United States are only allowed to accept money from U.S. citizens or permanent legal residents, and in addition to Pin’s unclear status, questions have been raised about the ethics of accepting money from individuals linked to the Chinese Communist Party.

“The donor, Pin Ni, has a long history of aiding the CCP’s political warfare operations and influencing the United States, and generally aligns with and carries out the party’s orders,” Michael Lucci, founder and CEO of State Armor, told the New York Post, adding that taking money from Ni is “disqualifying.”

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Representative Mikie Sherrill, Democrat of New Jersey, during a press conference on a Signal messaging chat used by Trump administration officials, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, U.S., Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Wanxiang Group posthumously awarded company founder Lu Guanqiu the title of “Outstanding National Communist Party Member” in a Press release 2021 and praised Guanqiu for his “pursuit of communism as his lifelong ideal and practice.” The press release also said that Guanqiu, Pin Ni’s late father-in-law, “always listened to the (Chinese Communist) Party and followed the Party,” it added. Fox News Digital review found earlier this year.

The press release goes on to cite Chinese President Xi Jinping’s praise of Guanqiu, saying he was “in line with the Party Central Committee.” He is still actively doing what our Party committees and governments at all levels advocate.”

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Democrat Mikie Sherrill participates in the final New Jersey gubernatorial debate with Republican Jack Ciattarelli in New Brunswick, New Jersey, October 8. (Heather Khalifa/AP Photo)

The founder’s biography on the Wanxiang website states that he was elected as the 13th and 14th representatives of the CPPCC and a delegate to the 9th, 10th and 11th Chinese National People’s Congresses, the upper levels of the CCP hierarchy.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Sherrill campaign to see if the money would be returned.

Fox News Digital also contacted Pin Ni but did not immediately receive a response.

Sherrill is not the only Democrat running for governor in November to face questions about Pin Ni’s donations.

Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger received $50,000 from the CCP-linked businessman in two $25,000 payments in April and May, Fox News Digital previously reported.

The donations drew criticism from Spanberger’s Republican opponent, Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks during his joint press conference with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban following their talks at the Prime Minister’s Office, the former Carmelite Monastery, in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, May 9, 2024. (Szilard Koszticsak/MTI via AP)

“Receiving $50,000 from someone with clear ties to the Chinese Communist Party tells us everything we need to know,” his campaign spokesperson said at the time. “You can’t pretend to resist foreign threats while pocketing money from someone celebrated by the CCP.”

A Spanberger campaign spokesperson said, “Virginians know that Abigail Spanberger has demonstrated her ability to defend America’s national security, deliver results for Virginia families regardless of party, and never back down in her commitment to keeping the American people safe.

“His campaign will remain focused on what matters most to Virginians, keeping our communities safe, lowering costs, protecting Virginia jobs, and ensuring Virginia public schools are the best in America,” the spokesperson added.

Amanda Macias of Fox News Digital contributed to this report