Gotion Vice President Chuck Thelen trashed CEO Chen Li in a series of text messages with former Green Charter Township Supervisor Jim Chapman, court documents reveal.
Gotion, which is attempting to build a massive battery plant in the rural Mecosta County township, is suing the new township board to force the new members to live by Chapman’s previous agreement. Chapman was recalled in November 2023 by residents upset over his stubborn support for the project.
Now, communications between Thelen and Chapman are becoming public as a part of that lawsuit.
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In October 2023, Thelen and Chapman were discussing a financial agreement that required CEO Chen Li’s signature.
“I don’t mean to be a b****** But I can’t ask for authorization on a 3 and a 1/2 million dollar project on a handshake,” Chapman wrote. “I have to have a signed contract.”
“I am so disgusted with Chen Li,” Thelen responded. “Trying to get them into reality.”
Chen Li is CEO of Gotion Inc., the wholly owned subsidiary of Gotion High-tech, the Chinese battery maker receiving $715 million in taxpayer cash and incentives, courtesy of the Gretchen Whitmer administration.
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Gotion High-tech’s chairman and CEO is Zhen Li, according to the company’s website. He is also Chen’s father.
A couple days later, on October 6, Thelen updated Chapman, “No signatures yet. Chairman has instructed Chen to sign bu he is delaying as normal. I outlined the effects we can expect. I also pushed in the escalation to get Chen out of the business.”
Apparently fed up with his superior, Thelen blasted Li to Chapman.
On October 9, Chapman inquired, “Where are we at? Signatures?”
“Ray Chen says Chen Li will sign docs but did not give a time,” Thelen responded. “Chen also wants us to stop pr releases but I will take that to chairman. Chen is an idiot.”
Chen Li is CEO of Gotion, Inc. and Senior Vice President of the Chinese Communist Party-linked battery manufacturer Gotion High-tech, and signed the mortgage with the state of Michigan on October 25, 2023 — just days before Chapman and several pro-Gotion township trustees were recalled November 7 — Gotion, Inc. is listed as the “mortgagor” and the Michigan Strategic Fund is listed as the “mortgagee.”
The mortgage details some of the funds the company will be receiving, including a $125 million “Critical Industry Program” grant and a $50 million “Strategic Site Readiness Program” grant.
All told, CCP Gotion is slated to receive $715 million in cash payments and tax incentives from Michigan taxpayers by the Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) administration.
The signature page included Chen Li and a notary based in Alameda County, California:
The Midwesterner previously reached out to Chen Li to ask him whether he was a member of the Chinese Communist Party. He didn’t respond.
In a radio interview last year, Gotion Vice President Chuck Thelen acknowledged that Li is “President” of Gotion, Inc. and a board member of Gotion High-Tech, the China-based headquarters of the company’s global activities.
Gotion Vice President Chuck Thelen claimed on WBZX this week that Gotion CEO Chen Li has no "party affiliation" in China. But Li is a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, which is "under the leadership" of the Chinese Communist Party. pic.twitter.com/d5RsrvqjFq
— The Midwesterner (@Th_Midwesterner) March 30, 2023
Thelen claimed Li has no “party affiliation” in China.
But a bio page on the World Economic Forum website previously stated Li “is a member of the CPPCC of Baohe District in Hefei City.” That has since been removed from his history.
The Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) describes itself as “under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and an important means of promoting socialist democracy in China’s political activities.”
The CPPCC’s charter states, “Members of the CPPCC National Committee and local committees should love the motherland, uphold the leadership of the CPC and the socialist cause, maintain ethnic solidarity and national unity, observe the Constitution and the law, keep state secrets, maintain integrity and self-discipline, be representative of the sectors to which they belong, and have the necessary social influence and ability to participate in and deliberate state affairs.”
The Midwesterner asked a media representative for Gotion about Chen Li’s party status. He didn’t respond.
Chen Li is the son of Zhen Li, founder of Gotion High-Tech, according to corporate documents.
Zhen Li is the largest shareholder of Gotion High-Tech, owning 11.5 percent of shares, Market Screener reports.
Chen Li is the second largest shareholder, with 1.64 percent. His stock ownership has a value of $121.3 million.