Eric Chu (朱立倫), the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate for Sinbei City mayor, has won a libel action against the creators of a video accusing the former Taoyuan County commissioner of having an extra-marital affair.
In a recording released in November 2005, producer Lin Yi-fang (林一方) accused Chu of having numerous extra-marital relationships, including one with a network news anchor, as well as suggesting that he had had an affair with his former secretary.
Lin, who was previously one of the creators of the controversial Special Report VCD series, had said he wanted to expose government officials that he believed were involved in scandals. He has denied that anyone was defamed by the film.
Photo: CNA
The ruling by the Taiwan High Court, which can still be appealed to the Supreme Court, brings with it substantial libel damages of NT$3 million (US$97,400) — which Chu said he would donate to charity.
Expressing his satisfaction with the latest ruling, Chu said he believed all along that elections were supposed to be fought on “election policies, hard work and dedication instead of low-class attacks.”
However, with just 10 days remaining before the special municipality elections, he was also quick to connect Lin with his opponent in the election, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), claiming that she had previously endorsed Lin’s video.
“Five years ago, when Tsai acted as an honorary chairperson for a DPP candidate’s campaign, she went as far as to speak in support of the [video],” Chu said at a campaign event.
“Now that Tsai herself is also a candidate, she is still using some of her staffers to launch all sorts of attacks [against me],” he said, claiming that some of his supporters recently received packages containing false allegations against him.
One of his spokesmen said the campaign team would “definitely sue” the person found to be sending the packages.
However, two Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers said at a press conference yesterday that what the KMT described as “suspicious packages” were actually clearly signed and labeled.
The contents are also factual, they said.
“Chu should have a bit of common sense,” DPP Legislator Kuo Jung-tsung (郭榮宗) said. “The documents were clearly signed by myself, DPP Legislator Huang Jen-shu (黃仁杼) and Cheng Wen-tsang (鄭文燦), [one of Tsai’s campaign officials].”
The information reportedly contains claims that Chu cut subsidies for the elderly and withheld agricultural subsidies. Both figures are publicly accessible, Kuo said.
Tsai denied the allegation that she had once spoken in support of Lin’s video, saying Chu seemed to have gotten his facts confused.
“His remarks are absolute nonsense — I’m afraid that Chu needs to calm down,” she said. “I believe that his recent comments are stepping a bit over the line.”
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