Diane Lee vows to prove loss of U.S. citizenship by Jan. 31

In her first public appearance after being barred by prosecutors from traveling abroad to facilitate an investigation into her alleged dual nationality, Lee said she has no intention of fleeing and pledged to fully cooperate with prosecutors.

Speaking at a press conference in the morning, she said: “I'm in the country and have not gone overseas. I have no plan to travel abroad, either.” Again, she stressed that her U.S. citizenship status is still under review by the U.S. State Department, which, she pointed out, will soon make a final announcement on the issue.

“I won't allow the matter to be delayed beyond Jan. 31, “ she said.

The Taipei District Prosecutors Office issued on Monday an overseas travel ban for Lee as prosecutors continued an investigation into alleged forgery and fraud surrounding her case.

Legislators from the then-ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) accused Lee in March 2008 of violating the Nationality Act by failing to renounce her U.S. citizenship before assuming public office in Taiwan in 1994.

According to the Nationality Act, dual citizenship is strictly forbidden for Taiwanese public office-holders, who are required to renounce their foreign citizenship before assuming public office and to obtain a certificate testifying to the loss of citizenship within one year of their inauguration.

In the face of mounting pressure, Lee announced on Dec. 25 that she would temporarily step down from office and stop receiving her salary until the U.S. authorities release the “final outcome” of their investigation into her U.S. citizenship status. On Dec. 30, she withdrew from the ruling Kuomintang.

Lee admitted obtaining U.S. citizenship in 1991, but argued that she legally lost her status as a U.S. citizen when she was sworn in as a Taipei city councilor in 1994, citing U.S. law, which lists serving in a foreign government as one of the legal bases leading to possible loss of U.S. citizenship.

“If the legislature is unable to swiftly address the issue, it will difficult to avoid the reaction from the public,” warned DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen while visiting the opposition caucus members at the legislature. “We must respond to the public.”

Despite the DPP's call for the Legislative Yuan to act immediately to strip Lee of her legislative post, the KMT-dominated legislative body is not planning to take any action before Jan. 31, 2009.

During yesterday's session, DPP legislators made a new attempt to push the Legislative Yuan to deal with Lee's case quickly by advancing the issue to the top of the legislative agenda. The bid was unsuccessful.

The legislature adopted a KMT-sponsored proposal to resolve the issue through inter-party consultations, a process that can last up to one month, give the upcoming holiday for the Chinese New Year.

Lee was first elected to the Legislative Yuan in late 1998 and is currently serving her fourth term in the lawmaking body.

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