Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) yesterday decided to sue The Journalist (新新聞週報) for defamation on the grounds that the magazine's report that she had begun circulating a rumor to smear the reputation of the president was baseless.
The dispute between the vice president and the weekly magazine started when it alleged in its issue published last Thursday that Lu had made phone calls on Nov. 3 to various media representatives to say President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) was having an extramarital relationship with his translator, Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴).
Suit seen as best way to end controversy
"After thoroughly weighing the possible consequences [to file a legal suit against the magazine,] we [the lawyers commissioned] still consider that the best and most efficient way to solve the controversy is by means of judicial procedures. We hope to bring the case to light in a short time to exonerate my sister from ungrounded accusations," lawyer Lu Chuan-sheng (呂傳勝), Lu's elder brother, told the Taipei Times in a telephone interview.
"Since we are fully aware of the complicated political situation involved in the case, we will try to focus merely on its legal aspect and prevent any political force from playing any part in the matter."
Lu Chuan-sheng said there would be five members in the consulting team, but he declined to publicize their names for fear of creating unnecessary disturbance for the other attorneys involved.
"Once sufficient evidence is collected, we will launch the action as soon as possible," said the attorney, adding that though the amount of compensation sought was still undecided, the vice president had told him that she would donate any money she might win to charity.
Phone records prove innocence
The counsel said they were confident of winning the case because the vice president had retained a detailed record of the phone calls she made on Nov. 3. The record shows she did not make any phone calls to any media representatives, the counsel said.
When questioned if the suit would affect First Lady Wu Shu-chen (吳淑珍) and Hsiao Bi-khim, the lawyer said he would try to avoid calling them to be witnesses in court.
"We do not want to cause any inconvenience to the first family and Miss Hsiao, so we will try not to subpoena them. But it will be up to the judgement of the court if there is such a need. I can not predict the development at the moment," he said.
Magazine skeptical of Lu's explanations
In response to the announcement that the The Journalist would face a legal suit from the vice president, the president of the magazine, Wang Chien-chuang (王健壯), held a news conference in the evening and raised doubts regarding several explanations offered by Annette Lu.
Wang told the media that he remained skeptical if the telephone records, provided by the vice president, included all the phone calls she made.
Regarding the copy of Lu's full-day itinerary for Nov. 3, which she presented to President Chen and his aides at a meeting late Tuesday evening, Wang also had reservations.
"We do not think the itinerary contains everything she did on that day. What Lu is willing to publicize is definitely only the things that can be released publicly. The itinerary can not be used as evidence that she did not make the phone calls," Wang said.
Responding to requests to reveal the source of the news, Wang repeatedly said that the magazine's top priority was to protect the source.
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