Kankakee Times

Candidate for Manteno mayor Annette LaMore is a vocal critic of the Chinese-owned Gotion lithium-ion battery plant being planned for the village and the way local officials have handled the project. 

LaMore is running as a member of the Freedom Party slate alongside trustee candidates Peggy Vaughn, Mike Berry and Paul Motel and clerk candidate Kerry Romiak who are running in opposition to the Gotion plant.

“I think it's going to be a landslide victory for the Freedom Party,” LaMore told the Kankakee Times. “I think we're going to take it. I think people are tired of this. They're tired of the secrecy. They're tired of no transparency.”  

The April 1 election will determine whether Lamore and her allied candidates can gain enough support to take control of the village board and block further backing of the Gotion plant. 

"If we elect three trustees, we’ll have the voting power to stop the support for the Gotion plant," LaMore said. "Three trustees’ terms aren’t up for two more years, but with three new trustees and a new mayor to break any ties, we can halt this project."

LaMore said the current administration, led by mayor Tim Nugent, who is leaving the post after 20 years, and aligned Manteno trustees conspired to push the plant through without the community’s knowledge. 

"I don’t like the secrecy of this project, the threat it poses, and especially the involvement of foreign entities linked to the Communist Party," LaMore said. "It’s reckless. I’m taking a stand, and I hope we can stop this."

LaMore is running against Gotion supporter Joel Gesky in the race for mayor. 

"(Gesky) definitely supports Gotion,” she said. “The headline of the Manteno Vedette that came out yesterday says, 'Gesky Believes Goshen is Good.' I think that will hurt him."

Since 2023, the "No Gotion In Illinois" Facebook page, founded by Amanda Piker, has led a growing movement to oppose the proposed Gotion lithium-ion car battery plant in Manteno due to concerns over its ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its potential impact on the community. 

At the time of its founding “No Gotion In Illinois" organized a protest against the plant's announcement by Gov. J.B. Pritzker and expressed frustration with the lack of transparency, as the community only learned about the plant a week before the official announcement. 

The opposition to the plant has since become widespread, with most of Manteno's residents against it, prompting the group to hire an attorney to challenge the project. The proposed plant has attracted attention from U.S. lawmakers, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Michigan Congressman John Moolenaar, who raised concerns about CCP influence over the company and its potential impact on U.S. national security. 

LaMore is a leading candidate in the movement to halt the development, citing concerns over the plant’s ties to the CCP, its potential environmental and health risks, and the lack of transparency in the decision-making process.

LaMore, who previously served on the Manteno Village Board from 2009 to 2013, said her decision to run for mayor was driven by alarm over the board’s support for the Gotion plant. 

"Well, to be quite honest, I thought about running a long time ago," LaMore ssid. "However, my husband and I decided we needed more time for our family since we have four daughters and eight grandchildren, and he wasn't ready for me to dive into politics. But when I saw what the village board was bringing to our town, I was alarmed. I’m not in favor of breaking our ordinances and bringing in heavy industry, especially dangerous chemicals. More importantly, I was concerned about a Chinese communist business. All of this led me to decide to run for mayor."

"This project will change our entire community," LaMore said. "There has been no transparency, and agreements were made without consulting the people. They even went to all the taxing bodies and said, 'You have to vote for this because it’s going to bring 2,600 jobs.'” 

“Yet, they didn’t disclose that it was a Chinese communist company, that it would involve heavy industry, and that it would bring in dangerous chemicals that threaten our health and safety. So everyone voted for it without knowing the full truth. I’m surprised and upset by that because board members should fully understand what they’re voting for before they vote, not after."

Despite overwhelming public testimony against the project, the Manteno Planning Commission's unanimous vote in 2023 approved a zoning change, prompting the Concerned Citizens for Manteno group to file a lawsuit in the matter, citing violations of village codes prohibiting heavy industrial development. 

The lawsuit seeks to prevent the plant from operating, citing national security risks, potential environmental hazards, and the illegal rezoning of the property. Attorney Robby Dube, representing the group, raised concerns about toxic materials used in the plant’s production process, including risks to local water and soil.  

LaMore has voiced support for their efforts, but remains critical of the pace of the legal proceedings. 

"It’s been ongoing for 18 months, and as always, court proceedings take time with motions and continuances,” she said. “It’s frustrating. I feel like all the fundraising and donations are going to lawyers, and I don’t know when this will end. But if our entire party gets elected, we’ll help stop it. With the votes, we will try to prevent this project from moving forward."

LaMore’s mayoral campaign has garnered significant support from local residents, including donations from across the country. 

"We have a lot of supporters—hundreds, if not thousands," she said. "Not everyone donates money, but many people have. We’ve received donations from across the country from people who’ve either visited Manteno, used to live here, or simply read about us."

Additionally, LaMore and other local activists have been working to raise awareness on a national scale. 

"Recently, a group of us went to Addison, Illinois, for a political fundraiser where we met Laura Trump, the president’s daughter-in-law,” LaMore said. “One of our representatives sat at a roundtable with Lara Trump and shared our story, giving her a packet of information. It was sent back to the White House, so we’re hopeful that someone from the administration will come to help resolve this."

LaMore also raised concerns about the sale of local farmland to China, alleging that Manteno has sold hundreds of acres of land to foreign interests. 

"China is still purchasing as much land as possible in the United States, and I don’t know how we’ve allowed this to happen," she said. "I’ve heard that Manteno has sold over 600 acres of farmland to China. This poses a threat to U.S. security, particularly in Illinois."

The election could prove pivotal for the future of the Gotion project, which has already sparked significant controversy in the village and drawn national attention due to concerns over its ties to the Chinese Communist Party and its potential impact on local health, safety, and national security. Lamore is hopeful that her campaign will be the catalyst for change. 

"We are all good citizens who care about Manteno. We don’t consider ourselves politicians," she said. "We’re all involved in the community and care about the future of our town."