Presidential Office may file suits over `unfounded' reports

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) will take legal action against media outlets that have recently made unfounded reports targeting the president, an official from the Presidential Office said yesterday.

David Lee (李南陽), director of the Department of Public Affairs, made the remarks after the Chinese-language China Times claimed that the Presidential Office had used NT$10 million (US$306,750) in gift vouchers from a department store to obtain reimbursement from the "state affairs fund," thus embezzling around NT$30 million.

Lee, quoting Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), said the reports were entirely unfounded.