Slotkin’s office confirmed to The Detroit News earlier this year that the Michigan lawmaker and her deputy legislative director Austin Girelli signed NDAs to discuss the proposal from Gotion, a subsidiary of the Hefei, China-based Gotion High-Tech, to build an electric vehicle (EV) battery plant in Big Rapids, Michigan. The proposed factory would be located outside of Slotkin’s congressional district.

Austin Cook, a spokesperson for Slotkin, explained to the outlet in February that Slotkin believed it was important “to learn more about significant economic development projects like this to better understand their impact, and if there are ways to help from the federal level.” He acknowledged Slotkin and her staff signed NDAs to “be part of those conversations.”

[Suddenly NDAs are cool again? Isn’t the FTC trying to eliminate them in business? — Ed]