Prairie State Wire

Jeanne Ives, a former state legislator and founder of Breakthrough Ideas, has voiced her opposition to politicians who support subsidies benefiting the Chinese Communist Party. She urged Congress to pass the No Gotion Act.

"The CCP-backed Gotion company and the Village of Manteno got slapped down by the Judge today," said Ives. "The citizen case against them on 7 counts from zoning to use of toxic chemicals is going forward.tion. This is the second time in two weeks that Gotion lost in court. We need Congress to pass the No Gotion Act and voters to stop electing politicians who hand out massive subsidies to our number one adversary."

According to Robby Dube, an attorney with Concerned Citizens of Manteno, developments from a May 14 hearing in Kankakee County Circuit Court revealed that Gotion lost every motion it filed to dismiss claims in the case. Judge Lindsay Parkhurst allowed the plaintiffs’ nuisance claim against Gotion to proceed, citing concerns about potential environmental dangers posed by lithium and other chemicals. The lawsuit also raised national security concerns. Dube said that Gotion attempted to have all claims dismissed, but Parkhurst ruled that the chemicals presented a serious fire risk and allowed the case to move forward.

Screenshot of Jeanne Ives' May 14 post on X | X

Gotion's attempt to have most of the case dismissed was largely unsuccessful, as Judge Parkhurst denied dismissal on all but three counts. Among the claims allowed to proceed were allegations from Concerned Citizens of Manteno that Gotion’s operations involve highly toxic materials and create hazardous conditions in violation of state municipal code. Another claim involves a landowner whose property is within 1,200 feet of the proposed plant site; this landowner alleges that the facility would violate village code by producing odor, smoke or noise, or by using highly toxic materials.

Concerned Citizens of Manteno filed a lawsuit in December 2023 seeking to prevent Gotion from using highly toxic chemicals, protect national security, and compel the Village of Manteno to overturn what they describe as illegal rezoning of the Gotion property from I-1 to I-2, according to Wirepoints.

Ives is a former Illinois State Representative who served six years representing Illinois House District 42. She ran for governor in 2018 and sought election to represent Illinois’ 6th Congressional District in 2020.