James Tsai, also known as Tsai Jen-chien (Chinese: 蔡仁堅; born 27 October 1952) is a Taiwanese politician who served as mayor of Hsinchu from 1997 to 2001.
Political career
A cofounder of the Democratic Progressive Party,[1] Tsai served on the National Assembly from 1992 to 1997, and was the DPP caucus leader throughout his term.[2][3] The legislative body elected its first speaker and deputy speaker during its 1996 session. Tsai was nominated as the DPP candidate for the deputy speakership, and lost to Shieh Lung-sheng.[4] Tsai was elected mayor of Hsinchu in the 1997 local elections. In October 2000, he became the first elected local government leader from Taiwan to visit China.[5] The next year, Tsai lost his bid for reelection.[6][7] He attempted to run for the position again in 2014, without the backing of the DPP, which expelled him for mounting an independent campaign.[8][9]
During his mayoral term, Tsai was one of many mayors accused of corruption, as he had charged United Microelectronics Corporation a "township chief tax" for community development funds.[10][11]
Soon after leaving office, Tsai was caught in the Chu Mei-feng sex scandal, during which he was represented by attorney Hsu Wen-bin.[12] Tsai and Chu had dated for four years,[13] before the relationship ended in February 2001.[14] Later that year, a sex tape of Chu and married businessman Tseng Chung-ming was released.[15] Prosecutors believed that Tsai and spiritual advisor Kuo Yu-ling asked a detective agency about hidden cameras.[16][17] Tsai was questioned by the Taipei District Prosecutors' Office in January 2002,[18][19] and indicted on 7 February.[20] However, Chu chose to drop the case against Tsai in June.[21]
