Chen Che-nan

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Chen Che-nan

| native_name = {{nobold|陳哲男}}

| native_name_lang = zh-tw

| honorific-suffix = MLY

| image =

| imagesize =

| smallimage =

| caption =

| order = Member of the Legislative Yuan

| term_start = 1 February 1993

| term_end = December 1994

| constituency = Kaohsiung 1

| order1 =

| term_start1 = 1 February 1987

| term_end1 = 31 January 1993

| predecessor1 =

| successor1 =

| constituency1 = Education

| order2 = Acting Secretary-General to the President

| term_start2 = 1 August 2000

| term_end2 = 5 October 2000

| president2 = Chen Shui-bian

| predecessor2 = Chang Chun-hsiung

| successor2 = Yu Shyi-kun

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1941|3|30}}

| birth_place = Taiwan

| party = Independent {{small|(2005–present)}}

| otherparty = Kuomintang {{small|(until 1992)}}
Democratic Progressive Party {{small|(1993–2005)}}

| nationality = Taiwan

| alma_mater =

| occupation = Politician

| children = Chen Chi-mai (son)

}}

Chen Che-nan ({{zh|c=|p=Chén Zhénán|s=|t=陳哲男}}; born 30 March 1941) is a Taiwanese retired politician. Chen was a member of the Legislative Yuan from 1987 to 1994. Originally affiliated with the Kuomintang, he joined the Democratic Progressive Party in 1993. He later served briefly as the acting Secretary-General to the President from August 2000 to October 2000.

Early life and career

Born in 1941 during Japanese rule, Chen was an elementary school teacher prior to a career in politics.{{cite news|last1=Chiu|first1=Yu-Tzu|title=KRTC Scandal: From A-bian's career builder to troublemaker|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2005/11/07/2003279104/1|accessdate=12 March 2016|date=7 November 2005}}

Political career

In the 1970s, Chen began his political career in the Kaohsiung City Government. He was elected to the Legislative Yuan for the first time in 1986, and stepped down in 1994, in the midst of a term. Chen then served the Taipei City Government and mayor Chen Shui-bian in multiple positions, until joining the ROC Presidential Office in 2000, where he continued advising Chen Shui-bian.

Controversy

Chen was expelled from the Kuomintang on 2 December 1992,{{cite news|last1=Yu|first1=Susan|title=KMT maintains power grip; DPP grows stronger|url=http://www.taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=76835&ctNode=103|accessdate=5 December 2016|work=Taiwan Today|date=22 December 1992|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220061953/http://www.taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=76835&ctNode=103|archive-date=20 December 2016|url-status=dead}} after becoming increasingly critical of party leaders, and due to his support of the One China, one Taiwan" notion.{{Cite web|last=中央通訊社|title=陳哲男政治人生起落公眾評價褒貶兩極 {{!}} 中央通訊社|url=https://today.line.me/tw/v2/article/DzjVDm|access-date=2020-08-12|website=LINE TODAY|language=zh-Hant}} His expulsion from the party happened in the midst of a legislative election, but occurred too late for the KMT to officially pull their support of him. Listed on the ballot as a KMT candidate for Kaohsiung,{{cite news|last1=Peng|first1=Tammy C.|title=KMT expels candidate, keeps votes|url=http://www.taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=74427&ctNode=451|accessdate=5 December 2016|work=Taiwan Today|date=8 December 1992|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220062741/http://www.taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=74427&ctNode=451|archive-date=20 December 2016|url-status=dead}} he won and took office nonetheless. Despite expulsion, Chen's vote share was still allocated to the KMT for the purposes of determining party list proportional representation. He joined the Democratic Progressive Party the next year. Businessman Chen You-hao named Chen Che-nan as one of the people who helped Chen Shui-bian solicit donations for Chen Shui-bian's 1998 Taipei mayoral campaign and the 2000 presidential campaign.{{cite news|last1=Ko|first1=Shu-ling|title=Fugitive says Chen took his donations|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2004/02/03/2003097266|accessdate=12 March 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=3 February 2004}} In a separate case also involving black gold politics, Chen Che-nan was found to have used his political influence to secure favorable court rulings for businessman Liang Po-hsun. The Taipei District Court ruled in December 2006 that Chen was to serve twelve years in prison.{{cite news|title=Chen Che-nan sentenced to 12 years for taking bribes|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2006/12/14/2003340345|accessdate=13 March 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=14 December 2006}} An appeal to the Taiwan High Court shortened the sentence to nine years.{{cite news|title=High Court cuts sentence for former top Chen aide|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/06/27/2003415870|accessdate=12 March 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=27 June 2008}} A retrial of the Liang–Chen case was later heard by the Taiwan High Court in 2010. Presiding judge Tseng ter-shui convicted Chen of fraud,{{cite news |last1=Chang |first1=Rich |title=Court tries to stop judge from resigning |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2010/07/31/2003479240 |accessdate=14 September 2018 |work=Taipei Times |date=31 July 2010}} a lesser charge that dramatically reduced Chen's sentence to seven months imprisonment,{{cite news |last1=Chang |first1=Rich |title=High Court reduces former official's prison sentence |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2010/07/28/2003478986 |accessdate=14 September 2018 |work=Taipei Times |date=28 July 2010}} which was again appealed.{{cite news |title=Bribery ruling will face appeal |url=https://chinapost.nownews.com/20100729-129788 |accessdate=14 September 2018 |work=China Post |date=29 July 2010}} Chen Heng-kuan, one of three High Court judges to hear the case, considered resigning his position.{{cite news |title=KMT lawmaker calls for new bill on judicial reform |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2010/08/03/2003479493 |accessdate=14 September 2018 |work=Taipei Times |date=3 August 2010}} The same court ruled in March 2013 that Chen Che-nan was to serve eight years imprisonment.{{cite news |last1=Liu |first1=Shi-yi |last2=Kao |first2=Y. L. |title=Ex-presidential aide given 8-year sentence after bribery retrial |url=http://focustaiwan.tw/search/201310090048.aspx |accessdate=14 September 2018 |agency=Central News Agency |date=9 October 2013}} The Supreme Court reduced Chen's sentence by one year in November 2014.{{cite news |last1=Tsai |first1=Page |last2=Liu |first2=Shih-yi |last3=Wu |first3=Lilian |title=Aide to ex-President Chen sentenced to seven years for corruption |url=http://focustaiwan.tw/search/201411200028.aspx |accessdate=14 September 2018 |agency=Central News Agency |date=20 November 2014}} Chen began serving the seven-year prison sentence in Kaohsiung weeks later.{{cite news |last1=Cheng |first1=Chi-feng |last2=Chang |first2=S. C. |title=Former presidential aide jailed for taking bribe |url=http://focustaiwan.tw/search/201412010040.aspx |accessdate=14 September 2018 |agency=Central News Agency |date=1 December 2014}} He was released on parole in October 2017.{{cite news |last1=Wang |first1=Shu-fen |last2=Chang |first2=S. C. |title=Chen Che-nan released on parole |url=http://focustaiwan.tw/search/201710110031.aspx |accessdate=14 September 2018 |work=China Post |agency=Central News Agency |date=11 October 2017 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914132420/http://focustaiwan.tw/search/201710110031.aspx |archivedate=14 September 2018}} [https://chinapost.nownews.com/20171011-157863 Alt URL]

Chen Che-nan was deeply involved in the 2005 Kaohsiung MRT foreign workers scandal.{{cite news|last1=Huang|first1=Jewel|last2=Shih|first2=Hsiu-chuan|title=Chen Che-nan scandal deepens|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2005/10/29/2003277825|accessdate=12 March 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=29 October 2005}}{{cite news|last1=Mo|first1=Yan-chih|last2=Wang|first2=Flora|title=Hau Lung-bin, Chen Chu take office|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2006/12/26/2003341970/2|accessdate=12 March 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=26 December 2006}} This led to his expulsion from the Democratic Progressive Party later that year. Chen also lost an Order of Brilliant Star, awarded in 2002, and an Order of Propitious Clouds, awarded in 2004.{{cite news|last1=Ko|first1=Shu-ling|title=President strips Chen of medals|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2005/11/04/2003278617|accessdate=23 October 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=4 November 2005}}{{cite news|last1=Huang|first1=Jewel|last2=Chiu|first2=Yu-tzu|title=Expulsion of Chen Che-nan finalized by apologetic DPP|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2005/10/31/2003278119|accessdate=12 March 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=31 October 2005}} As a further consequence of the scandal, Chen left his post as national policy adviser.{{cite news|last1=Chiu|first1=Yu-tzu|title=President accepts advisers' resignations|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2005/10/06/2003274627|accessdate=5 December 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=6 October 2005}} In 2007, the Kaohsiung District Court dropped all corruption charges against Chen.{{cite news|last1=Chuang|first1=Jimmy|title=Court clears Chen Che-nan of KRTC corruption|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2007/08/25/2003375725|accessdate=12 March 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=25 August 2007}}