Diane Lee eligible for US$900 refund from IRS: DPP lawmaker

Chai acquired Lee's U.S. social security number. With that number, Chiu found Lee's eligibility for a US$900 tax refund from the Internal Revenue Service. Chiu showed an IRS tax refund list at the press meeting. Any U.S. citizen who has paid income tax for 2007, according to the IRS list, is eligible for a refund if his or her taxable income for the year is below US$75,000.

The KMT legislator, the list shows, is eligible for a refund of US$600. But she also has a minor dependent — her son who is under 17 years of age, Chiu said.

“That gives Lee an extra US$300 in refund,” the DPP lawmaker pointed out. “In other words,” she pointed out, “her eligibility for the refund, to which American citizens are entitled, proves she still remains a U.S. citizen.”

People can visit the IRS Web site to download the list in question, Chiu said.

Lee refused comment, but the Ethics and Discipline Committee of the KMT has notified Lee to attend a panel meeting tomorrow morning to give a full explanation about the nationality issue.

Lee claimed that she already lost her U.S. citizenship after taking oath to become a member of the Taipei City Council as early as 1994.

In addition, she has recently voluntarily given up her rights as a KMT member for causing such a public controversy.

Officials at the KMT panel said the party still has to deal with the issue and make a final adjudication on whether to mete out penalties.

They explained the move is intended to gather relevant information and the meeting tomorrow is meant to allow Lee to adequately present her case.

Through one of her aides, Lee confirmed she will appear before the panel at 10:00 a.m.

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