After the DPP Central Review Committee decided to expel her from the party on Monday, legislator-at-large Chiu Chang (
Chiu alleged that the DPP completely ignored the facts and used political force to interfere in the review committee's operations.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
Chiu also went to the Taipei District Court (
The party alleged that Chiu had seriously violated party discipline rules and had stained the party's image by refusing to show her ballot to the DPP's voting witness and by shouting on the legislative floor during the legislative vice-speaker race on Feb. 1.
Chiu was accompanied at the press conference by DPP lawmakers Lin Kuo-hua (
She said that, in accordance with party procedures, she had appealed to the DPP's Arbitration Committee to revoke the punishment, because she did vote for the party's candidate, Hong Chi-chang (洪奇昌), rather than spoiling her ballot, as her accusers claim she did.
The Arbitration Committee said it had received her appeal.
Lin Kuo-hua said that some party members violated the criminal code by forcing their colleagues to show their ballots. "It is hoped that Minister of Justice Chen Ding-nan (
Chiu claimed that it is evident that her case was interfered with by political forces. She said review committee member Cheng Hsin-chu (鄭新助) had phoned her before the press conference, saying that he could not attend because of pressure from the party's "upper level."
DPP Central Standing Committee member Lawrence Kao (
If Chiu fails in her appeal, her legislator-at-large seat will be filled by former lawmaker Lin Wen-lang (
Taiwan has received more than US$70 million in royalties as of the end of last year from developing the F-16V jet as countries worldwide purchase or upgrade to this popular model, government and military officials said on Saturday. Taiwan funded the development of the F-16V jet and ended up the sole investor as other countries withdrew from the program. Now the F-16V is increasingly popular and countries must pay Taiwan a percentage in royalties when they purchase new F-16V aircraft or upgrade older F-16 models. The next five years are expected to be the peak for these royalties, with Taiwan potentially earning
STAY IN YOUR LANE: As the US and Israel attack Iran, the ministry has warned China not to overstep by including Taiwanese citizens in its evacuation orders The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday rebuked a statement by China’s embassy in Israel that it would evacuate Taiwanese holders of Chinese travel documents from Israel amid the latter’s escalating conflict with Iran. Tensions have risen across the Middle East in the wake of US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran beginning Saturday. China subsequently issued an evacuation notice for its citizens. In a news release, the Chinese embassy in Israel said holders of “Taiwan compatriot permits (台胞證)” issued to Taiwanese nationals by Chinese authorities for travel to China — could register for evacuation to Egypt. In Taipei, the ministry yesterday said Taiwan
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