Taiwan, Ah the Justice of it All

Thursday March 31, by Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.

The Diane Lee case is once again in the news. Surprisingly, the courts have excused her the illegal salaries she collected for a position that she was not legally qualified to hold. That of City Councilor. The rationale supposedly is that she did the work; well and good, but if a person holds a position illegally what does that say about their character and whether they would not be trying to do other illegal things or even aiming for their and their friends benefits?

So far there has been no judgment as regards her illegal salary as a member of the Legislative Yuan. There is a far more dangerous position where an illegal person is making laws which would include laws on justice etc. for the country.

Let us go back a moment for the illegality of Diane Lee She held two passports; no great shakes about that unless one lies about it. Did she lie?

Lee's defense is that she thought that her USA passport expired when she took office--highly unlikely; why?

Lee held office for 14 years with dual citizenship. And here is the real rub that the courts seem to ignore. Every citizen of the USA must renew their passport every 10 years. That means that Lee had to at least renew her passport if not once, but possibly twice in that 14 year period.

To renew one's passport one must both sign the papers and have new photographs taken. This is done knowingly, willingly and consciously. You cannot blame your secretary for doing it for you like some other well known politicians in Taiwan use as a dodge for their crimes.

So you be judge; when Lee says that she thought her USA passport automatically became invalid when she took office; and allegedly remained invalid for the 14 years she was in office until she was forced to resign. Then why did she knowingly, willingly and consciously renew that passport at least once and possibly twice in those 14 years?

Would you say that was lying?? You be the judge. And as for the courts, we will write more on that.