New Party legislator Elmer Feng (
Feng himself is on trial for allegedly defaming the former first lady. The counter suit accuses Tseng of bringing false charges against Feng.
In late March, Tseng brought a libel suit against Feng, New Party Legislator Hsieh Chi-ta (
PHOTO: LEE HUNG-MING, TAIPEI TIMES
In court yesterday, both Feng and Hsieh pleaded innocent to the criminal defamation charge and said that as elected representatives, they were obliged to question and challenge possible misconduct of any public officials, including the president and his wife.
Feng said their challenge against Tseng was done in good faith and had been in the public interest. He said that there were no grounds for Tseng to sue them and that, therefore, he wished to file a counter suit.
While the former first lady seeks NT$300 million in damages from Feng and the two other defendants, Feng said he is seeking the same amount in compensation from her. The money, if awarded, would be used to form an anti-black-gold foundation, Feng said.
Both Feng and Hsieh requested the court compel Tseng, whose lawyers have represented her in her absence, to attend the remainder of the proceedings as her personal testimony, they said, is essential.
Central to the dispute are the defendants' accusations that Tseng fled to the US with US$85 million in cash and other valuables shortly after the March 18 presidential election. Hsieh accused Lee of having his wife carry the huge amount to the US soon after the KMT's defeat in the election, while angry protesters demonstrated against Lee in front of KMT headquarters on March 19.
Feng, during a press conference on March 23, talked by telephone with Tai, who was in the US and claimed to have evidence about Tseng's plans to fly to the US with suitcases of money.
Feng went even further and distributed written documents containing the accusation to reporters.
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