Both County Clerk candidates J.J. Clemence and Tamara McFarlane have purchased campaign advertising on CoveringKaty.com at the same rate, with ads running in identical locations on the website for the same duration. Advertising with us doesn't shield candidates from scrutiny.
FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas (Covering Katy News) — A Hispanic Fort Bend County employee was stunned to learn that a man billed as an expert on Chinese government spies has incorrectly identified him as a high-ranking Chinese Communist Party official on a local podcast.
The employee, who works in the office of Fort Bend County Judge KP George, was identified by Solomon Yue on the "Chris Heasley Show" as a Chinese government operative who was spying on the United States. The podcast was posted earlier this week. Yue claimed the Fort Bend County employee's name was "Wang Jain" and that he reported directly to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The false accusations are the latest in a series of attacks on JJ Clemence, who is facing Tamara McFarlane in the March Republican primary for Fort Bend County Clerk.
The man is Hispanic, not Chinese, and is said to be a longtime Fort Bend County resident. He has declined to comment publicly. Covering Katy News is withholding his name to protect him from potential retaliation by those who saw the Heasley interview and are unaware of the truth.
At the time of publication, Heasley had not issued a retraction.
Chris Heasley Show
The man circled in this image was incorrectly identified as a high ranking member of the CCP. In reality he is a member of Judge KP George's staff.
Yue made the accusation while using a photo taken during a visit to Fort Bend County by a Chinese delegation making a North American tour. Yue claimed the employee was part of that delegation and was seated next to Clemence as part of a spying operation targeting the United States.
"Now, think about this, okay? Uh, this guy actually reports to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, directly. And very interesting how he sits. He did not sit with the rest of the delegation; he sat right next to JJ. So, in other words, he is here infiltrating us. Also, he is a member of that CCP delegation."
Podcast Host's Own Interview Undercuts Guest's Credibility
Heasley's own interview raised further questions about his guest's credibility. When Heasley asked Yue what Clemence's Chinese name is, Yue did not know. He stumbled through his answer, saying:
"I go by, uh, her, you know, English name, JJ Clemence."
McFarlane Amplifies False Claims on Social Media
McFarlane amplified the claims on social media. In a post, McFarlane quoted Yue's accusation directly, describing him as a "CCP hunter" and senior Republican National Committee official, and called Clemence "a CCP operative."
McFarlane went further in the same post, writing that Clemence is "using Marxist strategies to spark racial tensions, dividing neighbors while pushing foreign agendas that undermine American values and democracy."
After Covering Katy News contacted Heasley and informed him that his guest had provided false information, the podcast video appears to have been removed. Heasley declined to comment and did not respond to a request for a written statement. McFarlane also declined our request for a statement.
A pots by Tamara McFarlane promoting the Chris Heasley show where a county employee was incorrectly identified as a high ranking member of the Chinese Communist Party.
Weeks ago Katy Christian Magazine investigated McFarlane's claims and found them to be "baseless and dangerous." Their story is published here.
JJ Clemence's Record and Qualifications
Clemence is running for Fort Bend County Clerk in the March Republican primary. She immigrated to the United States from China and became a U.S. citizen more than 20 years ago. She has denied any affiliation with the CCP. Gov. Greg Abbott appointed her to two state commissions, and she previously worked in community outreach roles for Congressmen Troy Nehls and Pete Olson. Many of the photos taken while she was performing her duties for Nehls and Olson have been used to claim she is a CCP supporter. Nehls says Clemence was required to undergo a security clearance before working for him and Olson. Her list of endorsements is a who's who of Republican leadership in Fort Bend County.
Clemence vs. McFarlane: Comparing the Records
The Clemence campaign is pointing to her record to contrast her qualifications with those of her opponent. In campaign materials, the campaign highlights that Clemence has voted in every Republican March Primary since registering to vote while McFarlane has never voted in a GOP March Primary.
Clemence has also served as an elected GOP precinct chair, served on the GOP Finance Committee, is a certified auditor, was appointed twice by Gov. Abbott, is endorsed by retiring County Clerk Laura Richard, and is supported by more than 25 GOP precinct chairs.
STORY UPDATE — Yue Stops Pretending to Be Unbiased
Podcast host Chris Heasley presented Yue as an unbiased expert who deals only in facts. But a few hours after Covering Katy reported that Yue had falsely identified a county employee as a high-ranking member of the Chinese Communist Party, he appeared to abandon any pretense of neutrality when Republican primary voters began receiving this message in a mass text. The original post was published three days ago, but Republicans only began informing Covering Katy today (Friday) that they had received the message.
Solomon Yue
Solomon Yue began openly campaigning for Tamara McFarlane after Covering Katy outed him for making untruthful statements about a county employee.