In this episode of The China Desk Podcast, host Steve Yates welcomes Susan Crabtree, national political correspondent for RealClearPolitics and co-author of Fool’s Gold: The Radicals, Cronies, and Traitors Who Killed the California Dream and Now Threaten Us All. Susan shares her personal journey from a military family upbringing to a career in investigative journalism, highlighting her reporting on religious persecution in China, the human rights abuses of the CCP, and California’s evolving political landscape under Governor Gavin Newsom. Together, they explore California’s deepening ties to China through economic, political, and ideological avenues — from controversial PPE deals during COVID to foreign land ownership and Chinese influence in state institutions. Susan also reveals what inspired her to write Fool’s Gold and why the California model could be a cautionary tale for the rest of America. Don’t miss this insightful conversation on China’s influence in U.S. politics, California’s unique trajectory, and what it all means for national security and freedom.