With one internal row already rending the TSU, the fledgling party has been beset by another scandal involving lawmaker Lin Chih-lung (
Lin protested his innocence yesterday and said he would resign his seat if he were found guilty.
The scandal surfaced when the Chinese-language Apple Daily yesterday reported that one of Lin's female assistants, who was not named, had accused Lin of raping her on the night of July 29.
According to the newspaper, the rape was reported to the police in the early morning of July 30 by the Taipei Municipal Women and Children's Hospital when the woman sought medical examination from the facility to retain a medical specimen as evidence of the rape.
According to the law, a hospital is required to notify the police should a patient be suspected of being a victim of a sexual assault, because the crime belongs to the realm of public prosecution.
The case is currently under investigation by the Taipei District Prosecutors' Office. If Lin is indicted and convicted he could face up to five years in jail.
However, local cable TV stations yesterday reported that Lin's assistant had denied she was raped, and that the whole scandal was fabricated by another office colleague.
"The falsified report has seriously affected [the assistant's] life ? the whole thing happened because another colleague of hers was trying to set her up," a friend of the assistant told reporters yesterday.
Lin yesterday dodged reporters' questions of whether he had an affair with his assistant and only said "I have been working with her for quite some time."
Lin also admitted heat the office the night when the assistant was allegedly raped.
"I went back to the office at about 11pm on July 29. However, in addition to the alledged victim, there was also another female colleague in the office," Lin said.
The breaking of the story yesterday prompted the TSU to consider possible disciplinary actions for Lin by its Central Executive Committee, the party's highest decision-making body.
TSU legislative caucus whip Chien Lin Whei-jun (
"The party will respect the results of the judicial investigation. Since Lin has pledged to quit his position if he is found guilty, we would respect this decision," Chien Lin said.
In face of a possible expulsion from the TSU, Lin said he would respect whatever punishments the party extends.
Lin, 44, holds a doctoral degree of materials science and engineering from National Sun Yat-sen University in Kaohsiung. He is dubbed the "scientist legislator."
The TSU holds 12 seats in the legislature after former TSU lawmaker Su Yin-kuei (
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