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Presidential election 2008: 1 day to go: KMT says DPP wants Therese Shaheen to weigh in

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) said yesterday that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) had invited former American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) chairwoman Therese Shaheen to comment on KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) green card status.

KMT Secretary-General Wu Den-yi (吳敦義) said the party had received information that Shaheen would attend DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh's (謝長廷) election eve party tonight and repeat Hsieh's accusation that Ma's green card was still valid.

KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) condemned the DPP for using the former AIT chairwoman to create an "illusion" and stressed that Shaheen's remarks would not represent the US' official stance.

"Shaheen is a businesswomen now and everyone knows that she is doing arms business with the DPP. Her comments do not represent the US' stance," Wu said during a pre-election media conference at KMT headquarters.

Wu Poh-hsiung also denounced Hsieh for advertising his meeting with AIT Chairman Stephen Young, adding that Young had held a private meeting with him before seeing Hsieh.

"Stephen Young has met me five times this year, but I kept quiet about the meetings," the chairman said. "I don't think it's appropriate to take advantage of foreign friends during election time."

Wu Poh-hsiung said Young met with KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) last Saturday and expressed his expectation for a smooth presidential election and a peaceful transition of power.

Meanwhile, Ma's campaign team invited a US immigration lawyer to support the candidate's claim that it was not necessary to complete an I-407 form to give up one's green card.

Chang Yuan-hsiao (張元宵) said the green card was automatically invalidated when Ma applied for a non-immigrant visa.

"There are no regulations requiring a green card holder to fill out an I-407 form when he or she gives up [his or her] green card," he said.

In response, Hsieh said Ma's argument was "not worth refuting."

"Ma's remarks obviously confuse the public," he said.

Hsieh also dismissed a report in yesterday's Chinese-language United Daily News. The report cited a statement released by the AIT on March 27, 1996, saying that green cards issued before 1979 were invalid as of March 20, 1996.

The AIT said yesterday that the 1996 statement was issued to explain the regulations and procedures for renewing green cards, and did not touch on expiration.

Hsieh has accused his presidential rival of holding a green card since 1977, while Ma has said his green card was automatically invalidated in 1985 when he applied for a visa to visit the US.

Hsieh's legal team said yesterday that Ma's permanent residency in the US was still valid, regardless of the validity of his green card.

Attorney and former DPP legislator Yang Feng-wan (楊芳婉) said that Ma had not offered a clean account on his green card status.

"Entering the US on a visitor's visa does not invalidate his permanent residency," she said.

Lin Yu-fang (林毓芳), a lawyer, said permanent US residents could only renounce their status by filing an I-407 form or having it annulled by an immigration court.

Either way, Lin said Ma could easily produce evidence to support his argument or authorize the AIT or US government to do so on his behalf.

"People have the right to know," she said.

Hsieh spokesman Hsu Kuo-yong (徐國勇) said Ma's argument that his green card was automatically invalidated was "misleading."

"It is like your driver's license -- you still have the right to drive, even if you don't renew it," he said.

Later yesterday, Hsieh's campaign team denied that Shaheen had been invited to comment on Ma's green card status.

Cheng Wen-tsang (鄭文燦), a Hsieh spokesman, said the KMT allegation was irresponsible, groundless and an attempt to vilify a friend of one of the country's allies for election gains.

Asked to comment last night, Young said that Shaheen was a retired US official and anything she said or did reflected her personal opinion -- rather than that of the US government.

Hsieh Hsin-ni (謝欣霓), a spokeswoman for Frank Hsieh, reiterated that the DPP candidate would drop out of the presidential race if Ma could prove that he was not a permanent US resident.

Additional reporting by Jenny W. Hsu and staff writer
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