Chen's son-in-law resigns amid scandal
(AP)
Updated: 2006-05-18 16:41
TAIPEI - A close relative of Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian resigned from
the ruling party Thursday, amid growing concern that his alleged involvement in
a stock scandal could further undermine Chen's authority.
The decision
by Chen's son-in-law, Chao Chien-min, followed calls from Democratic Progressive
Party lawmakers to expel him from its ranks.
Chao has acknowledged that
his mother, Chien Shui-mien, bought stocks in the ailing Taiwan Development
Corp. just before their value skyrocketed, but has denied accusations of insider
trading. Prosecutors interviewed company managers over the allegations
Wednesday.
On Thursday, Chao issued a statement announcing his
resignation from the DPP "to avoid causing any more harm to the party."
There was no immediate reaction from DPP lawmakers to Chao's decision.
Chao's alleged involvement in the stock scandal comes as Chen sags badly
in opinion polls.
An poll published by the mass-circulation United Daily
News Thursday gave him an approval rating of 20 percent, the lowest in the
newspaper's surveys since his re-election in March 2004.
The paper said
it interviewed 823 adults by phone Wednesday for the survey, which had a margin
of error of 3.4 percentage points.
The Chao scandal is not the only one
buffeting Chen's inner circle.
Opposition lawmakers say that Chen's
wife, Wu Shu-chen, profited from insider trading and received vouchers from a
department store after intervening in its sale. Chen says his wife is innocent
of the charges.
Last month, a former aide of Chen
Shui-bian was arrested for his alleged involvement in another high-level
corruption scandal, adding to the DPP's growing worries over damage to its
public image.
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