Bank CEO Dominic Ng is making his first public comments since being attacked by conservative extremists in the GOP.
According to LAist, the longtime Republican has intentionally stayed out of politics until now. His frustration with former President Donald Trump reached a boiling point and he came out in support of Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential race.
So when the president asked him to represent the United States at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation council, the CEO of East West Bank said yes. Six Republicans have since called for an investigation into Ng ties to communist China.
“It was disheartening to see [that after] many years that I’ve been actively engaged in American society that there will still be people out there who are questioning my loyalty,” Ng said to LAist.
Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX) has led the charge against Ng and the conservative The Daily Caller has claimed Ng is a leader of two front groups for the Chinese Communists.
“Not only have I never attended any meetings, I never paid dues,” Ng said. “I never received any remuneration. So I basically have no participation.”
Earlier, East West Bank issued a statement on behalf of its leader.
“The information in these reports is false and comes at a dangerous time when hate crimes against Asian Americans are rising,” the bank said in an email to Pasadena Now.
The bank said Ng occasionally meets with Chinese officials as many other business leaders in this country do as part of doing business in China.
“In today’s economy, such meetings suggest nothing about a person’s loyalty to their country,” the East West Bank statement said.
Other business groups including the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce have also come out in support of Ng.
“There could not be a more loyal American than Dominic Ng,” said former Chamber of Commerce Secretary Mickey Kantor.
Ironically, Ng’s family escaped Hong Kong to get away from the communists and now he is being accused of being one.
AsAmNews is published by the non-profit, Asian American Media Inc. Please consider making a donation and following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Information about interning, joining the staff or volunteering is here. We are supported by a grant from the California Library Commission and its Stop the Hate program. You can find more resources here.
The Repugnican party is the party of hate. With their power positions, America has become a very scary place to live. We need to fight them and vote for compassion and democracy, freedom not fear and divisiveness.