The Central Election Commission (CEC) yesterday approved a motion to recall Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Keelung Mayor George Hsieh (謝國樑), setting Oct. 13 for a by-election.
Civic groups on March 8 began a campaign to recall Hsieh, saying that he had failed in the role.
They said that Hsieh abused his power to benefit the Breeze Group, which is run by the family of his ex-girlfriend Michelle Liao (廖曉喬), by ordering police to break into Keelung E-Square Mall to complete a handover.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
NET Fashion Development Corp disputed the rights of operation of the mall by Breeze Group, who won the bid. NET Fashion Development filed a lawsuit against Hsieh and the city government, accusing them of breaking and entering, as operating rights were still being disputed in court.
Asked whether the recall was politically motivated, Hsieh said that the right to recall has become a tool to overturn election results.
Such habits should not be allowed to continue, he said, urging Keelung residents to vote to prevent continued abuse of recalls.
The KMT in a statement questioned the neutrality of the CEC, citing CEC Chairman Lee Chin-yung’s (李進勇) “open support” for the recall campaign.
Hsieh has worked hard to govern Keelung, the KMT said, adding that his decisions regarding the Breeze Group were in full compliance with the law and safeguarded the property of Keelung residents.
The court has ruled in favor of the Keelung City Government in all three trials to date regarding the mall, showing that the city is in the right, the KMT said.
The KMT criticized President William Lai (賴清德) and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Secretary-General Lin You-chang (林右昌), accusing them of impartiality for their support of the recall movement.
The DPP plans to mobilize and launch multiple recall motions in the hope of unseating enough legislators to regain its legislative majority, the KMT said, adding that Keelung residents should not allow that to happen.
Separately, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) said that the party respected Keelung residents’ exercise of their rights.
The DPP has been clear in its stance on the issue, Wu told reporters.
The DPP and the Keelung City Council are continuing their inspection of Hsieh’s faults in governance and whether he is attempting to make improvements to oversight of the city government, Wu said.
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