The legislature was divided yesterday over what to do with KMT lawmaker Lo Ming-tsai (羅明才), leader of the Finance Committee, after he apparently violated the law, stating that lawmakers may only be leaders of such bodies for two sessions.
While members of all stripes lined up to condemn any conflict of interests, legislative leaders suggested settling the controversy by traditional means -- through closed-door cross-party negotiations.
KMT lawmaker Ting Shou-chung (
"I suggested the party headquarters step in and help resolve the mess," Ting said of the spat over Lo's qualification to head the finance committee.
The controversy surfaced last week when 16 of the panel's members from both the KMT and DPP named Lo to its leadership.
The decision drew sharp protest from DPP lawmakers and the legislature sent the case back to the committee to reconsider.
Lo's influential lawmaker father, Tiendaomeng gang boss Lo Fu-chu (
"The KMT caucus should check the background of its members and deny them a seat on committees where conflict of interests may be found," Ting said. He called on the younger Lo to relinquish the helm of the finance panel to end the dispute.
Independent lawmaker Liao Hsueh-kuang (
Ting replied that "the righteous fear no evil."
Liao, who has blamed the elder Lo for his brief abduction back in 1996, described the legislature as being cohabited by rogues.
"Reform will remain empty talk unless it gets rid of the black sheep," Liao said.
Diane Lee (李慶安), lawmaker of the People First Party, agreed, saying that the legislature is dominated by "wicked cats and rats."
The elder Lo has said that the legislature's lack of order prompted his premature return.
"The rats must not think they can act wild when the cat is away," Lo Fu-cho told the finance committee Wednesday.
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