Li Ao (
Handing down its decision yesterday, the Taipei District Court dismissed Li's defamation charge against Liu Tai-ying (
Li filed the suit in September 1999 in light of Liu's remarks published in the United Evening News on Sept. 5, 1999, which said that Li had squandered money and chased women as a youth. At the time, Li was running as the New Party's candidate in last year's presidential election.
"Li Ao was already very good at spending money and randomly wooing women when he was young," Liu was quoted as saying. "Throughout Li Ao's life, he has most adored women, but also most despised women," the outspoken former official was quoted as saying.
Li described the allegations as "totally ungrounded" as he was very poor and could not even feed himself. He also denied ever "wooing women at random," saying he had always been "discreet" about love.
He insisted he must sue Liu in court to prove his innocence, calling the prominent KMT member "a wealthy, arrogant man who is irresponsible with his words."
However, the court found Liu had made the challenged comments during a mountain-climbing trip in August 1999 during which he had a casual chat with reporter. The reporter knew Liu was a schoolmate of Li's and asked him about their school days.
Before then, Li had decided to run for president and thus his character and behavior was subject to public debate, the court decided.
Furthermore, the court determined the comment did not at all impair Li's image and status in society as Li himself had in the past admitted that he liked wooing women, not only when speaking in public but also in his own writings.
This is only one of many lawsuits Li has filed over the years. Previous defendants in his cases have included politicians, journalists, and old friends.
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