Prosecutors subpoena Lee on nationality investigation

The Taipei District Prosecutors Office has already subpoenaed Lee to a questioning slated for Tuesday, which the lawmaker will attend, her lawyer said.

Prosecutors are trying to see determine whether she should be indicted for allegedly breaking the Nationality Act, which bans public officials from having foreign citizenships.

Lee, who resigned from the Legislature Thursday, started packing her things.

But the opposition camp said her resignation was not enough, demanding the Kuomintang-dominated Legislature officially dismiss her. Opposition supporters tried to blockade the Legislature complex in order to press lawmakers into taking actions against Lee.

They rallied near the Legislature complex, but they were carried away by police. The protesters subsequently abandoned their action, but they vowed to come back next week.

Legislator Chen Ting-fei of the Democratic Progressive Party asked prosecutors to freeze Lee's assets, which would guarantee that she would return all the incomes she has received over the 14 years in public office.

Judging from her asset declarations — which are required of all public officials — Chen said Lee's wealth amounts to some NT$100 million. It is estimated that Lee would have to return more than NT$100 million to the national coffers if she is determined to have violated the Nationality Act.

Lee maintains that she already lost her U.S. citizenship automatically in 1994 when she was first sworn in as an elected official — a member of the Taipei City Council.

The Legislature had given her until Jan. 31 to prove her claims, but she offered to resign Thursday, saying she would not want her personal issue to give the opposition an excuse to hijack the entire Legislature.

Rumors spread that President Ma Ying-jeou called Lee and talked her into resigning.

KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung said he did not know whether Ma had talked to Lee.

But Wu said neither he or other high-level KMT officials had called Lee concerning her resignation.

Wu reiterated that the KMT had never delayed in handling Lee's alleged dual nationality issue.

He criticized the opposition for mobilizing supporters to blockade the Legislature, claiming it was their attempt to divert public attention from former President Chen Shui-bian's corruption case.

The Legislature has yet to complete formality of approving her resignation.Her supporters sent flowers to her office in support, but her office was not receiving visitors yesterday.

Meanwhile, the race to succeed Lee has begun, as a by-election will be held. Observers said Taipei's Daan district, where Lee was elected, is a traditionally KMT zone.

Potential candidates from the KMT include former Vice President Lien Chan's son, Lien Sheng-wen.

From the DPP camp, former Legislator Luo Wen-jia has been named as a possible candidate.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

PrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email