Frank Hsieh corrupt?

This could be a huge piece of news, since Hsieh is the DPP favorite for the nomination. The news was first reported in Next (a tabloid weekly). Prosecutor Luo Chien-hsun (羅建勛) has written a preliminary report which is sure that Hsieh took illegal political donation(s).

The prosecutor's office would not comment today much since the investigation isn't finished, but admitted the document reported in Next is real and that prosecutor Luo Chien-hsun's (羅建勛) thinks Hsieh is obviously guilty (the exact quotation was apparently 「應可認可、犯行明確」). The office emphasised that Luo's report was his opinion only, preliminary and not an indictment (see CNA article 謝長廷犯行明確？高雄高分檢：檢座個人心證).

Hsieh supporters are calling it a political stunt, pointing out there wasn't even a political donations law in 1991 when the illegal donations were supposedly made, so how could Hsieh be guilty? He also pointed out that Sun Ta-chien (孫大千) and others had been charged with the same crime during Hsieh's run for the Taipei mayor, and that they were cleared of charges.

My analysis is that since the details in the weekly's article seem mostly correct (though it is hard to believe they go their hands on the prosecutes related files), Hsieh could be in real trouble here (after all, there is a running investigation) and that he should proceed very carefully. The DPP does not want an indicted candidate running against Ma.

Update: the magazine was Next, not Scoop.