Presidential election 2008: 5 days to go: DPP caucus probes members' citizenship

Having alleged that Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) politicians hold US green cards or US citizenship, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus has begun an investigation into the citizenship status of its own members.

"I received a questionnaire last Friday asking about green cards and foreign citizenship," DPP Legislator Tien Chiu-chin (田秋堇) told the Taipei Times by telephone.

"We were asked to declare our residency and citizenship status," Tien said. "Those who don't have foreign residency or citizenship are merely required to sign a declaration to that effect."

Tien said she had signed the declaration.

"I think most of my DPP colleagues don't have [foreign residency or citizenship]," she said.

Tien said the investigation was probably related to pan-green camp allegations that a number of KMT politicians were in possession of valid US green cards.

"Before we examine others, we of course need to examine ourselves," Tien said.

KMT politicians including presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) and Legislator Diane Lee (李慶安) are among those who have had to deny holding a US green card or citizenship.

invalidated

Ma and Hau argued that their green cards were invalidated when they applied for non-immigrant visas to visit the US. Lee, who said she was granted US citizenship in 1991, claimed it was revoked when she returned to Taiwan to take up public office.

Taipei County commissioners Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) and Lai Shyh-bao (賴世葆) of the KMT also said they once possessed a US green card. Both said they had canceled their green cards with the American Institute in Taiwan.

Pan-green camp politicians do not accept the explanations given by Ma, Hau and Lee.

`details'

In related news, DPP Taipei City Councilor Chien Yu-yen (簡余晏) posted an entry on her blog last Thursday allegedly listing partial green card numbers for Hau, Chou, Lee and KMT Legislator Lee Chia-chin (李嘉進).

"I've been receiving information of this sort by e-mail from Taiwanese Americans for a long time, but I'm only releasing the information now that I have confirmed it, Chien said by phone.

"I was very angry when I received the information -- [KMT figures] are lying to voters," she said.

Lee Chia-chin, meanwhile, denied ever having a green card.

"It's all a mistake," he said. "I was accused of receiving a green card in 1987, but I was studying in Japan at the time, not in the US."

Chine says Lee Chia-chin received his green card on Jan. 20, 1987.