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Dinners to thank lawyers provoke criticism of Chen

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday argued that it is "inappropriate" for President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) in his capacity as president to host a series of thank-you dinners for lawyers who helped in the effort to recount votes cast in the presidential election.

"To host the dinners in his capacity as president is inappropriate. It completely violates administrative neutrality," said KMT spokesman Alex Tsai (蔡正元) at a press conference held yesterday at the KMT's headquarters.

"The case is in litigation now. Chen should have elected to appear at the dinner in his capacity as chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)," Tsai said.

Chen on Friday night hosted a thank-you dinner for more than 100 lawyers who had volunteered their services during the recounting of votes in central Taiwan. During the event, Chen said that the pan-blue alliance's request for a recount made a mockery of the nation's democracy -- but that the recount itself had "helped our young democracy grow deeper roots."

Saying that the recount represented a big step forward in the country's development of law and order, Tsai said that Chen should retract his remarks about the recount making a mockery of the nation's democracy and asked Chen "not to use inappropriate rhetoric to influence judicial work."

Remarking on calls by a group of Taipei City councilors for Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) to run for president in 2008, Tsai said that all who wish to secure the party's nomination must attempt to do so through the party's nominating system.

Tsai said that because cooperation between the pan-blue parties is "imperative," the pan-blue parties would more than likely field only one pair of candidates to represent the alliance in the 2008 election.

Regarding the assault that occurred Friday in the basement of the KMT's headquarters, Tsai said that the headquarters would improve security at the facility "and escort individuals who cannot control their behavior and conduct out of the building."

"The KMT headquarters is open to the public and does not place restrictions on who comes and goes," Tsai said. "But the headquarters will strengthen its security surveillance."

Tsai was referring to an assault that reportedly took place on Friday afternoon in the KMT headquarters' cafeteria. Reportedly, the cafeteria manager was abused by a member of a group of young adults wearing T-shirts that read "Truly love Taiwan and democracy." The manager reportedly approached the group and advised them not to gather there to drink and play poker -- and that's when the reported assault took place.

In the wake of the March 20 election, and following a series of protests launched by the pan-blue camp, groups of pan-blue supporters have gathered almost daily in the lobby of the KMT headquarters.

The individual who reportedly assaulted the cafeteria manager was nowhere to be found by the time police arrived on the scene.
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