TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – In response to media reports questioning the legitimacy of using an office under the auspices of Tainan City Government by former premier William Lai, his spokesman Lin Sheng-che (林聖哲) clarified in a press release on Wednesday (May 8) the office is being leased for reception purposes only and all the procedures are legal.

According to Lin, election-related meetings for Lai’s camp take place at other business offices, while the Taipei Office established by Tainan has been rented for reception purposes only. The Tainan City Government was notified of the uses when the DPP politician announced his bid to run in the party’s presidential primaries.

In an online radio program, hosts Chien Yu-yien (簡余晏) and Wang Chieh-min (汪潔民) slammed the media accusations as outrageous, adding that it is justifiable to use the place for receiving figures whose identities are considered sensitive. Any individual with links to Tainan City has the right to access the Taipei Office through leasing, according to Wang.

Wang denounced the media reports as truth-distorting and misleading, without even bothering to request a comment by the people involved, let alone produce a balanced report. The accusations are part of a smear campaign against Lai, Wang said.