The rumor surfaced when KMT legislator Liu Cheng-hung, during a speech at the Legislative Yuan's National Affairs Forum, referred to rumors floating around the Presidential Palace, revealed in a new book by media personality Chou Yu-kou. Liu described the situation as "Taiwan's Lewinsky affair," and a public scandal instantly erupted.
誹聞案導因於國民黨籍立委劉政鴻在立法院「國是論壇」中，引述媒體工作者周玉蔻所著新書表示總統府內部有誹聞，狀似台灣版「呂文思基」，一時之間輿情譁然。