Hong Kong chief executive election 2022: ‘John Lee’s campaign team mull cash donations to guard against US sanctions’
- Former security chief lost a platform to reach out to voters when Google took down his YouTube campaign channel, citing need to comply with US sanctions law
- The Post breaks down how the sanctions law could affect US nationals and Hong Kong residents seeking to donate to his campaign
The campaign team of Hong Kong’s sole chief executive candidate John Lee Ka-chiu is considering raising funds in cash after US sanctions triggered the removal of his election channel from YouTube earlier in the week, the Post has learned.
The move by tech giant Google to terminate Lee’s channel had also left political and business heavyweights worried about possible legal consequences if they contributed to the campaign of a sanctioned former Hong Kong official, one source familiar with the matter said on Friday, adding some donors could end up funding his election effort anonymously.
Following the surprise takedown of one of Lee’s main platforms to connect with voters, his team was re-evaluating the risk of continuing to handle donations through an intricate network of banks, which left the cash susceptible to greater scrutiny by the US authorities, the insider said.
Sources close to Lee’s campaign office said the team had considered the possible effects of US sanctions since the beginning of the election, with donors advised to show their support through cash payments instead of online or bank transfers.
The team had become more cautious after it emerged on Wednesday that Lee’s YouTube had been taken down, the source said, noting there had been discussions on how to properly handle and register the cash, while also protecting the personal information of donors.
