How Can They Pass All Blame onto Wu Shu-chen?

How Can They Pass All Blame onto Wu Shu-chen?
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
August 26, 2008

When First Son Chen Chih-chung and First Daughter in Law Huang Jui-ching's returned to Taiwan, they spoke to the media. Their manner was composed as they swore that they were merely figureheads for dummy accounts, that Chen's mother Wu Shu-chen handled all the money within the family, and that his father knew nothing. Everyone, including Chen Shui-bian, concerned parties, Chen Chih-chung, and Huang Jui-ching told the same story. They repeatedly emphasized that Wu Shu-chen was in charge of all the money within the Chen family. No one else in the family knew anything whatsoever.

If the prosecution and the public swallow their story, then Chen Shui-bian, former head of state, former spiritual leader of the Green Camp, along with the young, eager to learn Chen Chih-chung and his wife, may get off scot-free. According to those close to Chen Shui-bian, Wu Shu-chen's health is extremely poor. If these cases go to court, would she be able to withstand the strain? Or would it be a recapitulation of the State Affairs Expenses case, during which she repeatedly applied for sick leave? If she cannot stand trial, how can the overseas money-laundering investigation proceed? Furthermore, Wu Shu-chen is not a government official. Even assuming prosecutors track down the funds, what then? Whose money is it? Is it Wu Shu-chen's dowry? is it Huang Jui-ching and Chen Chih-chung's wedding gifts? Is it Huang Jui-ching's father Huang Bailu's investments? Is it Chen Shui-bian's leftover campaign funds? Chen Shui-bian or Chen Shui-bian's family may have overseas accounts. They may have disappointed their supporters and damaged Chen's image as the "Son of Taiwan" But the prosecution might not be able to prove that the funds in these accounts were acquired illegally. Even if Chen is fined, his losses will not be that great.

Therefore, as far as protecting Chen Shui-bian and the DPP is concerned, allowing Wu Shu-chen alone to shoulder all political and legal responsibility is definitely the least costly alternative. Is this the former First Family's damage control strategy? The public cannot be sure. The public however cannot help but be flabbergasted watching Chen Chih-chung and Huang Jui-ching coldly push all responsibility onto Chen Chih-chung's mother Wu Shu-chen.

The public is baffled. Chen Chih-chung is preparing to study for a Juris Doctor degree. He has to be aware of the complex political and legal consequences of his family's involvement in offshore accounts or even suspected money-laundering cases. If Wu Shu-chen was the only person who knew all the facts, then the responsibility and pressure she will have to bear will be immense. Given her physical and mental condition, how can her son and daughter-in-law display such cavalier indifference to her circumstances? How can Chen Chih-chung and Huang Jui-ching remain so calm, so matter of fact, so unconcerned? Knowing full well that Chen Chih-chung's mother is in big trouble, how can they remain at such ease? If the Chen family can teach their children to remain so calm, so masterful, then they truly are a breed apart.

By contrast, Chen Hsing-yu, another of Chen Shui-bian's children, threw a fit of hysteria. This left the public wondering. The differences between the members of this family truly are great. One throws a public fit even before matters have come clear. The other acts as if nothing is the matter even as the money-laundering scandal looms ever larger, and shifts all responsibility onto his physically frail mother.

If the overseas accounts really were masterminded from beginning to end by Wu Shu-chen alone, then Wu Shu-chen will know no peace from this day forward. She has no idea how many times she will be forced to appear in court, how many times she will be denounced by strangers. Wouldn't Chen Chih-chung and Huang Jui-ching be reluctant? Wouldn't they be upset? But they weren't. This young couple revealed no such emotions whatsoever, leaving people utterly baffled. Were they really that cold-blooded? Or had they rehearsed their response in advance, resulting in their on the scene reaction? Their statements were a little too perfect. Their extraordinary calm was a dead giveaway, because it was too far removed from a natural human responses.

Secondly, Wu Shu-chen can't even appear in court for questioning. The sums involved are immense. She must control their source of origin, the amounts paid out, determine which elections need how much support. To properly allocate all these funds is a complex task. How much energy does it require? Wu Shu-chen may be smart. Her mind may be sharp. But how could her physical health possibly withstand the strain? If on the other hand, she is able to assume responsibility for such complex financial issues, such as which funds to transfer where, which shell company to open where, that means she has energy to spare. In which case, how difficult can it be to appear in court?

Furthermore, this is hardly Chen Shui-bian's first election. Would he really not know the amount of funds remaining following each campaign? He was able to say without hesitation that he contributed three to four hundred million dollars to the DPP. Would he really not know the amount left over after each campaign? Where they eventually wound up? Would he not care? Would he not be curious? Supporters donated the funds to Chen Shui-bian, not to Wu Shu-chen. Campaign subsidies are distributed to candidates. If Chen Shui-bian was totally indifferent to their fate, wouldn't he be just a little irresponsible? How many families on Taiwan transfer billions of dollars overseas, without the husband knowing anything about it? Is this even the least bit credible?

These overseas accounts all had to be handled by Chen Chih-chung and Huang Jui-ching. They saw hundreds of millions in funds transferred here and there. They never once asked Chen Chih-chung's mother what they were all about? They never once mentioned the matter to Chen Chih-ching's father? Chen Shui-bian never knew anything? Wow, this family's security measures certainly are tight. Chen Chih-chung and Huang Jui-ching help his mother Wu Shu-chen open overseas accounts and make overseas deposits, but say nothing about them. Yet Chen Shui-bian shares all sorts of sensitive information relating to party comrades' campaign funds with his son and daughter in law? And yet Chen Shui-bian told his daughter, who has never gotten involved in politics, how much he gave this person and that, inspiring Chen Hsing-yu to cry out on his behalf? Just exactly what sort of secrets cannot be spoken of in the Chen Shui-bian home? The answer is apparently beyond the comprehension of us mere mortals. What can one say, except that this is a strange family indeed!

中時電子報
中國時報 　2008.08.26
他們何以能冷靜的全推給扁嫂？
中時社論

陳致中、黃睿靚夫婦返台後，對著媒體大抒己見，態度輕鬆自若地說自己只是人頭，家中所有的錢都是由母親吳淑珍主管，父親什麼都不知道；從陳水扁自己、相關人士到陳致中、黃睿靚，眾人可說口徑都相當一致，不斷強調的就是陳家的錢都是吳淑珍在管，家裡沒有別人知道來龍去脈。

如 果這個說法為檢方、社會大眾採信，曾經擔任國家元首、身為綠營精神領袖的陳水扁，以及年輕向學、前途一片大好的陳致中夫婦或許就可以全身而退；而據親扁人 士指出吳淑珍的身體健康極差，未來如果又要因相關案件頻上法庭，她熬得下去嗎？會不會又像國務機要費的案子一樣，一路請假到底，如果是這樣，海外洗錢案怎 麼繼續查下去呢？再說，吳淑珍又沒有公務人員身分，就算查到了又能怎麼樣呢？這些錢到底是吳淑珍的嫁妝、陳致中黃睿靚結婚時的禮金、黃睿靚父親黃百祿的投 資、又或者是選舉結餘款，只要檢方無法證明這些海外帳戶裡的錢是非法所得，就算陳水扁或者陳水扁家族有海外帳戶，讓支持者失望、讓他的「台灣之子」形象受 損，或者補點罰款，其他的，畢竟損失不大啊！

所以，從保護陳水扁甚至於民進黨的角度來說，讓吳淑珍一個人一肩扛起所有的政治與法律責任， 的確是「成本最低」的一個選擇。然而，姑且不論這是不是陳水扁家族以及者支持者「損害控制」的策略，看到陳致中和黃睿靚這對夫妻幾乎是完全不帶感情地全往 媽媽吳淑珍身上推，真的還是讓人感到十分訝異。

首先讓人不解的是，陳致中是準備要念法律博士的人，他不可能不知道這次家族涉及的海外帳戶 甚至疑似洗錢一案，後續的政治、法律問題有多複雜繁瑣，如果確實所有的事都只有吳淑珍一個人知道，那她未來將要承受多大的責任和壓力，以吳淑珍的身心狀 況，身為兒子、媳婦的人難道一點都不會為媽媽擔心嗎？為什麼陳致中和黃睿靚可以表現的如此平靜、說得如此理所當然，沒有一點憂慮神色？在明知媽媽麻煩大了 的情況下，還可以如此泰然自若，陳家能把孩子教得這麼冷靜、這麼有大將之風，實有過人之處。

但是對照陳水扁的另一個孩子陳幸妤的歇斯底裡，卻又不得讓人納悶，這家人的差異還真的很大：一個在事情還沒太明朗化前就已公開抓狂，另一個則是在洗錢風暴愈滾愈大之際，還可像沒事人一樣，侃侃而談地把責任全推給身體羸弱的媽媽。

試 想，如果這整起事件真的從頭尾都只有吳淑珍一個人在操盤，那就意謂著吳淑珍此後的日子不平靜了，她不知道要上幾次法庭，她要面對多少人的指責甚至咒罵…想 到這裡，陳致中和黃睿靚應該會不捨吧，會不安吧，沒有！這對年輕夫婦完全沒有這方面的表現。這實在讓人不解，是他們太冷酷了呢，還是這些應對場面早已演練 過了，以致於臨場反應、用字遣詞幾達爐火純青。但他們的過於鎮定反而是一大破綻，因為太不合人情。

其次，吳淑珍連出庭應訊都沒有辦法承 受，這些金額龐大的資金，她既要管各路不同來源是怎麼來的，又要管要給誰多少，哪個人選舉需要多少錢，要妥善發落，這是多麼複雜的工作，需要多少能量才能 辦得好；吳淑珍或許頭腦非常精明、心細如絲，但她的身體健康狀況能承受嗎？她既能總攬如此複雜的財務問題，還要決定把錢匯到哪裡，在哪裡開個紙上公司什麼 的，顯見精力不差，那當時出個一、兩次庭，有那麼難嗎？

再者，陳水扁不是第一次選舉，他會不知道每次選會有結餘款，他都能夠那麼明確地說 出捐給了民進黨有三．四億元，他會不知道歷次選舉有結餘，這些結餘的下落到底如何，他會不關心、不好奇嗎？支持者是捐款給陳水扁不是捐給吳淑珍，選舉的補 助款是發給候選人的，陳水扁完全不聞不問，會不會太不負責任了一點？台灣有幾個家庭可以匯幾億元到國外，然後做老公的人還一點都不知情？這合理嗎？

這 些海外帳戶的開戶、轉帳都需要陳致中與黃睿靚辦理手續，眼看著幾億的錢轉來轉去，他們不但不會開口問一下媽媽這是怎麼回事，甚至在這過程中，連對老爸提一 下都沒有，以致於陳水扁說他這一路以來什麼都不知道，哇，這家人的「保密防諜」也未免做得太嚴密了吧。陳致中、黃睿靚幫媽媽吳淑珍開戶、轉帳都不講，陳水 扁卻跟兒女大談理當是同黨同志間敏感話題的選舉款，跟向來不涉政治的兒女講給了這個人多少錢、給了那個人多少錢，讓陳幸妤為老爸猛抱屈。到底在陳水扁家什 麼才是「不能說的祕密」，恐怕不能以常理判斷；只能說，這家人還真的很奇特！