Former Hochul and Cuomo adviser accused of being a Chinese spy toured the White House while under federal investigation

It's called Mrs. Sun, who is going to Washington.

As the Washington Post learned, the suspected Chinese spy who infiltrated the New York governor's office managed to get into the White House – while a federal investigation was underway against him.

Linda Sun's tour of the Executive Mansion came just two months before the FBI raided her swanky $3.5 million Long Island home as the FBI closed its case against her alleged work for Beijing.

The May visit was facilitated by Sun's former boss, Queens Rep. Grace Meng (D-New York), the congresswoman's office confirmed Friday.

Sun – a former senior adviser to Governor Kathy Hochul and former Governor Andrew Cuomo – raved about the trip to Washington DC in an emoji-filled Facebook post a few days later

“Tour of the White House [check emoji]See our favorite Congresswoman [check emoji]Tour of the Capitol with our favorite Congresswoman [check emoji],” Sun wrote in the letter dated May 10, 2024, which was obtained by The Post.

Their trip to the country's capital included another notable stop – a visit to the International Spy Museum, the post said.

One of the photos included in the article shows a map of the museum with the inscription “Undercover Mission”.

But at the time of the visit, Sun's alleged cover was about to be blown. A source confirmed that the former political activist was under active investigation at the time.

Last week, Sun, 41, and her husband Christopher Hu, 40, faced sweeping charges: violating and conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, human smuggling and money laundering. They pleaded not guilty.

Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn allege that Sun exploited her position under Hochul and Cuomo to effectively transform the governor's office into a mouthpiece for the People's Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party.

In return, she allegedly received millions of dollars in gifts and bribes, which she and her husband used to purchase real estate – including their Manhasset mansion – and luxury cars such as a 2024 Ferrari Roma.

Sun joined the Cuomo administration and worked as a liaison to Queens and the Asian American community after serving for a time as Meng's chief of staff when the politician was first elected to the state Assembly in 2009.

But the two were apparently still in contact recently – a spokeswoman for the congresswoman said her office helped organize the tour of the White House, as is customary when organizing such visits.

Although Meng did not give Sun and her family a personal tour of the U.S. Capitol, the two took a photo on the steps outside the House chamber, the spokesman noted.

“Obviously no one knew anything about what she is now accused of, and this remains deeply disturbing and shocking,” Meng's spokesman wrote in a statement to the Washington Post.

“If anything was known, it is clear that her request would not have been honored. The tour does not include the Oval Office, the West Wing, interactions with officials, or anything similar,” the statement said.

A White House spokesman said the visit was the standard tour for members of the public

Visitors on such tours of the White House do not usually meet government officials. However, they do have access to sensitive areas where official events take place just one floor below the President's bedroom.

“Tours of the White House are museum visits that consist of a walking tour of historic rooms and do not include access to White House offices, staff, or non-public information,” a White House spokesman said.

“Tours are available to all members of the public through the congressional offices and have been arranged by Representative Meng as part of standard procedures.”

Still, the visits caused astonishment among intelligence agencies and foreign influencers, who wanted to know how Sun could have survived U.S. intelligence background checks while she and her husband were under ongoing investigation.

“The Biden-Harris administration must impose tighter security checks in all federal government buildings, including the White House, to ensure that Chinese and Russian agents do not gain entry,” Republican Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told the Washington Post.

Michael Lucci, founder of State Armor, an organization that advocates on issues affecting foreign adversaries and state governments, said he was less concerned about the tour of the White House itself and more concerned about the way information about the Sun investigation had been shared – or not.

“It could be that she is under investigation and denying her access to what could be a perfectly normal tour could be a red flag that they just didn't want to uncover yet,” Lucci said.

Lucci also questioned why federal authorities apparently did not inform the governor's office when investigators first interviewed Sun and informed her of the Foreign Agents Registration Act requirements in 2020.

“Communication needs to be better,” he said. “If the FBI agents tell her about the FARA obligations, I think they should tell the governor's office as well.”

Sun remained as a state government employee after the interview, moving between various positions in the executive branch before being promoted to deputy chief of staff under Hochul shortly after the governor took office in 2021.

The damning 64-page indictment detailed how Sun and her husband received lavish gifts from Chinese officials while she used her position as a mid- to senior-level New York government official to advance China's agenda.

The charges detail how Sun attempted to prevent government agencies from recognizing Taiwan as an independent state and even forged Hochul's signature to make it easier for Chinese citizens to enter the United States.

Meng, one of New York's most prominent Asian American officials, used the opportunity to condemn Chinese influence campaigns but also warned against stereotypes.

“Congresswoman Meng condemns public corruption and strongly opposes any attempt by a foreign government to influence or undermine American society and democracy,” Meng's spokesman wrote.

“For far too long, Asian Americans have often been viewed as not being truly American, and their loyalty continues to be questioned. The Congresswoman believes that cases like this must not continue to fuel these harmful stereotypes and tar the entire Asian American community with the same brush,” the congresswoman said.

— Additional reporting by Joshua Christenson