Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lo Shu-lei (羅淑蕾) failed to appear after vowing to lead a team of accountants to the campaign headquarters of independent Taipei mayoral candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) to check on bank accounts that Ko made public.
Upon receiving word that Lo would personally lead a team of eight accountants to check thebank account statements and tax receipts on display at his campaign headquarters yesterday morning, Ko and his team said they prepared for the visit.
However, Lo did not arrive at the campaign office at about 12pm as she had said she would.
Instead, Lo’s legislative office director Lu Wei (盧威), who initially identified himself only as “a resident of Taipei,” arrived with a written statement saying that he led a group of accountants who were there to check on Ko’s bank statements.
However, when Ko’s campaign office director Chou Fang-ju (周芳如) invited the group into the office, they declined.
Lu stood outside and asked Chou to come out to take the statement.
Taiwan Solidarity Union Taipei City councilor candidate Chien Sheng-chieh (簡聖哲), who was present, identified Lu.
Lu confirmed his identity, but added: “I am also a resident of Taipei. I am not working today, and I hope to give this [statement] to Ko’s office, but if no one is going to accept it, I’m leaving.”
He then walked away from the office.
When asked to comment by reporters as he left, Lu said he did not see where Ko’s campaign office director was and felt that he could not go into the office.
To rebut accusations of corruption, tax evasion and money laundering, Ko made public the details of three bank accounts questioned by Lo on Thursday, and invited any interested parties to come to the office to check their details.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Ying-yuan (李應元), who is a liaison between the DPP and Ko’s campaign, said that, due to a lack of workers, the campaign headquarters might not be able to have each of the 2.7 million Taipei residents check the statements.
“But we welcome [KMT Taipei mayoral candidate Sean] Lien’s (連勝文) campaign to send people to check on them, Lee said.
“And I’d like to ask them to bring an authorization letter signed by Lien when they come,” Lee added.
The accountants in Lu’s group said they did not have authorization from Lien.
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