Rep. Meerman issued the following response after the State of Michigan placed Gotion, Inc., a CCP-affiliated company, in default on its agreement with the state to build a battery component factory in Mecosta County:

“Finally holding Gotion accountable is a big win for Michigan and taxpayers across the state. Residents from across Mecosta County and the state responded in alarm when they learned a company aligned with the Chinese Communist Party was making plans in their community. What resulted is a hallmark tale of the will of the people who opposed the development every step of the way.”

“The CCP remains one of America’s greatest adversaries and we as a state must scrutinize every use of taxpayer dollars to ensure we do not open the door to enterprises unaligned with the America we cherish and our way of life here. We need better oversight and transparency when these proposals are considered. This marks the end of one of the greatest misuses of Michigan taxpayer dollars.”

“The state made the right decision here, but selecting Gotion for this proposal was an outright mistake. The taxpayers paid $23.6 million to prepare for this project and every cent wasted must be paid back. If this was an overpaid unemployment bill, the state would be clawing down recipients’ doors, so the same standard must be applied here.”

Gotion, Inc. received a taxpayer funded incentive agreement to build a battery component factory in Mecosta County near Big Rapids in 2023 through the Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve (SOAR) program. This project was originally marked as a $2.4 billion investment and was approved for $175 million in public funds. After failing to uphold its commitments, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation announced on Thursday, October 23, that its agreement with Gotion, Inc. has been terminated.

Rep. Meerman has been heavily involved in the House Republicans efforts to reduce dangerous foreign influence in Michigan for several years.