Members of the anti-war feminist group Codepink have firmly rejected claims that they are secretly taking money from Beijing – but then refused to condemn the detention of Uyghurs and other human rights abuses in China.
Republicans in the House of Representatives this week launched an investigation into the anti-war progressive group, which is calling for Pentagon cuts to address climate change, citing the group’s ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
DailyMail.com spoke to senior Codepink activists about the allegations.
They fervently rejected any claims that they would accept cash from Beijing, but also seemed unwilling to say anything critical of China’s widely reported abysmal human rights record.
Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin, seen last month witnessing the testimony of Sec. Antony Blinken, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, says claims of CCP influence are ‘insane’
The group’s co-founder Medea Benjamin, a veteran protester who has harassed politicians from Barack Obama to Donald Trump, said the CCP’s accusations were “nonsense” and “insane.”
Another Codepink stalwart, Cynthia Papermaster, said they were “defamatory, utter nonsense.”
West Coast Codepink stalwart Cynthia Papermaster praises ‘freedom’ in China
“We are a feminist anti-militarism and peace activist group, and I imagine there are those who benefit from the billions spent on militarism and war and want to damage our efforts,” she told DailyMail.com.
But when pressed about human rights issues that Codepink members once openly discussed, Papermaster appeared to take a soft line on Beijing.
The group has in the past strongly criticized China’s treatment of the predominantly Muslim Uyghur minority.
When asked, Papermaster said she could recall “no Codepink campaign or position on the Uyghurs.”
“Our campaign is ‘China is not our enemy,’” she said.
This was “in light of the saber-rattling and resulting harm to Chinese Americans due to anti-Chinese sentiments,” she added.
DailyMail.com pressed Papermaster about the mass detention of about a million Uyghurs in the northwestern province of Xinjiang, which involves forced sterilizations and other abuses.
In a series of text messages, Papermaster was unwilling to criticize China’s human rights record
“I don’t feel qualified to comment on that on behalf of Codepink,” she said.
“I would personally consider it an atrocity, just as I consider the similar treatment of Native Americans, immigrants or blacks historically by the atrocities of the U.S. government.”
We then asked whether Codepink was more broadly concerned about other abuses in China, from repression to censorship and a lack of political freedoms in the country of 1.4 billion people.
“I think that’s controversial,” Papermaster said.
‘I have heard that there is repression. I also heard that there is freedom.’
To some, Papermaster’s comments show Codepink’s focus on its core anti-war agenda. To others, they signal an unusually soft stance on China for a left-wing campaign group.
They come after House Republicans this week released a letter addressed to Codepink co-founder Jodie Evans expressing concerns about her husband Neville Roy Singham’s ties to the CCP.
Jodie Evans, left, pictured with husband Neville Singham, right
Singham, a Connecticut-born technology entrepreneur and self-described socialist and mega-wealthy benefactor of “far-left causes,” is based in Shanghai, China.
The letter, signed by 10 Republican members of the Natural Resources Committee, said they are “deeply concerned” about Codepink’s ties to the CCP and are investigating whether it has illegally registered as a foreign agent.
They requested all communications between Codepink, Singham and the CCP between 2017 and today, as well as all documents relating to transactions between Codepink and a foreign entity and evidence that Codepink has or has not registered as a foreign agent.
A damning New York Times report in August found that Singham “works closely with the Chinese government’s media machine and funds its propaganda worldwide.”
The report traced hundreds of millions of dollars to groups that “mix progressive advocacy with Chinese government talking points.”
Codepink, meanwhile, has changed its stance on China since Evans and Singham married in 2017.
The group once criticized China’s human rights record and treatment of the Uyghur Muslim minority.
There is now a campaign entitled ‘China is not our enemy’.
“The US is heading for a dangerous confrontation with China,” Codepink’s site reads.
“Increasing hostilities are holding us back from tackling existential challenges like the climate crisis.”
Code Pink demonstrators raise their painted hands in protest in front of Gaza against Israel’s counter-offensive
Evans imagined himself protesting China in 2015 before pivoting on the CCP
Evans has adopted a much more pro-China stance after marrying Singham
Code Pink regularly disrupts conference proceedings
It adds: “The US believes it can win a nuclear war against China and is preparing for war. One of those preparations is manipulating the minds of American citizens to support this war, which threatens our society as much as it threatens China and the rest of the world.”
Evans, 68, managed California Governor Jerry Brown’s 1992 presidential campaign and was deeply involved in Democratic circles. After the war in Iraq started, she rededicated herself to activism and co-founded Codepink with Benjamin.
She quickly became known for donning bright pink outfits and taking to Capitol Hill for disruptive demonstrations that often ended in arrest.
And until a few years ago, she criticized China without hesitation.
“We demand that China stop the brutal repression of their women human rights defenders,” she wrote on Twitter in 2015.
But since her wedding in 2017, about a quarter of Code Pink’s donations, more than $1.7 million, have come from Singham’s groups.
Evans is now a staunch defender of China.
A Code Pink protester holds a sign as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (right) testifies on Capitol Hill
Evans at a ceasefire protest
Jodie and Neville are pictured at their Bob Marley-themed wedding in Jamaica in 2017. Guests included socialist ice cream giant Ben Cohen, of Ben & Jerry’s
When former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi traveled to Taiwan in 2022, Evans tweeted, “This would be an irresponsible act of war! The Pentagon generals beg her not to go. Who are the 300 million US to dictate to 1.5 billion people and break a One China agreement? Are you that arrogant?’
Singham made his money through his software consulting firm Thoughtworks, which he founded in Chicago in 1993.
He sold it to private equity firm Apax Partners for $785 million.
Singham shares an office in Shanghai with a Chinese media company called Maku Group, which appears to be devoted to producing foreign propaganda.
Singham claims he is not working with the Chinese government, but a network he owns is producing a YouTube show with China’s propaganda department and working with a Chinese university to “spread China’s voice around the world ‘.
Singham’s groups work on behalf of Chinese interests by producing YouTube videos that have racked up millions of views, meeting with congressional staffers, proposing candidates in African elections and organizing protests.
None of Singham’s nonprofits have registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, as is required for groups promoting ideas on behalf of a foreign government.