Taipei Mayor Defends Handling of Spokesperson's Resignation Amid Leak Probe

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an has been drawn into a controversy surrounding the resignation of his former spokesperson, Lee Cheng-hsuan, who is now implicated in a leaked procurement case in Taichung. Lee had resigned on August 10, citing 'personal career planning,' only for news to emerge the next day about his alleged involvement in a bid-rigging scandal in Taichung's Secretariat.

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Do you want me to leak state secrets?

Chiang faced pointed questions from opposition DPP councilors on August 12, who accused his administration of attempting to conceal the situation by using a vague reason for Lee's departure. Councilors highlighted that Lee was reportedly searched and questioned by investigators, and had his exit and travel restricted on August 6, well before his resignation. They questioned whether the Taipei City Government had conducted internal checks on the confidential information Lee might have accessed during his tenure.

Responding to the queries at the Taipei City Council, Chiang stated that Lee had informed him of his decision to resign due to personal career choices. Chiang asserted that he could not disclose details of an ongoing investigation, especially one occurring in another jurisdiction and dating back six years, citing the principle of investigative secrecy. "Do you want me to leak state secrets?" he retorted when pressed by councilors.

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Lee Cheng-hsuan accepted questioning and reported back. When he resigned, he indeed stated it was due to personal career decisions.

Chiang also addressed concerns about Lee's access to sensitive information within the Taipei City Government. He confirmed that Lee had participated in review committee meetings since joining the city government in 2023 but had not made any final decisions. Chiang assured that the city government had conducted a comprehensive review of Lee's activities.

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This case occurred in Taichung, six years ago. I had no way of knowing the details of the case. Based on the principle of investigative secrecy, I cannot proactively explain ongoing investigations to the public.