Hsinchu Mayor Ann Kao (高虹安) yesterday denied that her boyfriend meddled in city government affairs, adding that she hoped “justice could be served” as judicial authorities probed the allegations against her.
Kao, a member of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), has for the past couple of weeks been engulfed in a slew of controversies, including allegations that she lives in a NT$50 million-plus (US$1.56 million) apartment and travels around the city in luxury vehicles, such as a Porsche or BMW, courtesy of property developers, raising questions about potential conflict of interests.
On Monday, former Hsinchu City Cultural Affairs Bureau director Chien Kang-ming (錢康明) also accused Kao’s “good friend” of attempting to meddle in the city’s governance.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
This “good friend” is neither Kao’s chief of staff or a member of the city government, and it was wrong for the friend to discuss city administration issues with city officials, Chien wrote on Facebook the day after he left office.
Chien added that on Aug. 28, he was abruptly told by Kao to work only until Sunday.
Although Chien did not name the “good friend,” Lee Chung-ting (李忠庭), Kao’s boyfriend, wrote on Facebook that he had never attempted to interfere in the city’s affairs.
The Agency Against Corruption has instructed the Hsinchu City Department of Government Ethics to launch an investigation into the matter. Kao was questioned by the department on Monday as part of the probe.
Meanwhile, the Hsinchu District Prosecutors’ Office yesterday said that Democratic Progressive Party Hsinchu City Councilor Chen Chien-ming (陳建名) has filed a complaint accusing Kao of contravening the Anti-corruption Act (貪污治罪條例).
The office said it was looking into the matter.
Asked about the luxury apartment, Kao repeated that she lives in a 15-year-old community building, but added that it was Lee who rented the condominium.
As for allegations that Lee sought to interfere in city affairs by talking to Chien about arrangements for the city’s New Year’s Eve party, Kao said she had already issued a statement on Monday saying that Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County would not collaborate in holding such an event this year, so there was no place that allowed room for meddling.
Separately, TPP spokeswoman Yang Bao-zhen (楊寶楨) told a news conference yesterday that the party stands by the Hsinchu City Government’s statement.
She said that any evidence or proof of wrongdoing should be submitted to the government ethics department, the Agency Against Corruption and the district prosecutors’ office.
All allegations will be addressed, but if Kao is innocent, she is owed an apology, she said.
If the allegations are backed up by evidence, “this kind of behavior is not acceptable in government offices,” TPP Legislator Lai Hsiang-ling (賴香伶) said, urging Chien to provide proof to back up his claims.
If Chien could not provide evidence, his comments could be interpreted as an emotional outburst, Lai said.
Chien could have made an effort to fix the issues when he was in office instead of writing about it on social media after he left, Lai added.
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