DPP official offers resignation after misconduct charge

Charged with misconduct while running in the DPP's legislative primary, advisor to the Cabinet Charles Chiang (江昭儀) yesterday offered his resignation to Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄), who did not immediately approve it.

"The premier said he would wait for the Ministry of Finance's investigation report before coming up with a comprehensive decision [on Chiang's resignation]," government spokesman Su Tzen-ping (蘇正平) said yesterday at a press conference after a Cabinet meeting.

Su confirmed to reporters that Chiang had met with the premier earlier yesterday morning, adding that Chiang had said in public that he hoped to step down from all his positions, including those as an advisor to the Cabinet and board member of both First Commercial Bank (第一銀行) and China Airlines (華航).

According to Vice Minister of Finance Sean Chen (陳沖), the finance ministry has launched an investigation into allegations of whether First Commercial Bank chairman Jerome Chen (陳建隆) had, during the Chinese New Year, misused the bank's client list to distribute endorsement letters for Chiang as a DPP legislator at large.

Chiang, in addition, triggered a controversy over how he could hold four official positions simultaneously and get paid allowances that exceeded limitations.

Having been a former member of the National Assembly, Chiang was once a director of the Budget Center at the DPP's legislative caucus. He, therefore, had originally planned to hold a press conference yesterday morning at the Legislative Yuan, but canceled because DPP legislative whip Chou Po-lun (周伯倫) refused to let him use the party's meeting room.

"I look forward to Chiang's resignations in response to public discontent, however, I also wish him the best of luck in running for public office," Chou said yesterday afternoon.

DPP legislator Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) added that Chiang planned to issue a press release late yesterday afternoon.

Chiang, however, has kept a low-profile and avoided speaking publicly. His staff even said they had lost contact with him. He also failed to inform them of his resignation.

Commenting on Chiang's case, DPP Chairman Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) yesterday said that he believed Chiang had made a minor mistake by asking "a personal favor" from his colleague Chen.

"Chiang was negligent. This is definitely not DPP policy. I don't think it's fair to say this case involves party corruption," Hsieh said while having tea with reporters yesterday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Minister of Justice Chen Ding-nan (陳定南) yesterday said that Jerome Chen did not violate the law.