Wu files lawsuit against ex-DPP lawmaker Lee

Ex-DPP lawmaker Lee Wen-chung failed to make a formal apology to Wu as requested or coming up with the solid proof before the deadline set by the premier.

Lee is seeking to run for Nantou County magistrate in the election scheduled for next month.

He openly stated that Wu and Nantou Magistrate Lee Chao-ching, who is seeking re-election, had made a trip to Bali last December with former inmate Chiang Chin-liang to negotiate a deal protecting Chiang's gravel mining business in Nantou when Wu was a legislator.

Chiang, now a reformed businessman, also denied the charge, saying that he had supported DPP candidates in the past. Chiang said former lawmaker Lee decided to attack him and others mainly because he is backing other candidate.

Magistrate Lee, a member of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT), had already filed a libel suit against the DPP candidate.

A KMT spokesman said President Ma Ying-jeou, who concurrently serves as KMT chairman, backs Premier Wu's plan to sue the former DPP lawmaker.

He said Ma has also urged DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen to restrain her party's candidates from using wily tactics to defame other candidates in fair election campaigns.

Premier Wu, who formerly served as Nantou magistrate and Kaohsiung mayor, was a victim of DPP's tactic of spreading rumors with fabricated tape alleging that had an affair with a female journalist. The DPP tactic derailed Wu's re-election bid in 1998.

Wu's criminal libel lawsuit against Lee was filed through a lawyer yesterday morning. He also sought a financial compensation of NT$3 million, which he said will be donated to underprivileged children in Nantou area.

Although Wu said that he would still drop the lawsuit as long as Lee makes a public apology, Lee declined Wu's request by holding a press conference to allege Wu's involvement with mafia figures.

Accompanied by senior DPP officials, Lee called for voters' support in the upcoming election because he "is risking his life" to fight the mafia organizations.

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