DPP sets Judiciary Committee limits

Hoping to rebuild the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) integrity after a series of scandals, the party's caucus is prohibiting any member involved in a lawsuit from standing for the legislature's Judiciary Committee.

"Caucus members are strictly forbidden from signing up for the Judiciary Committee if they or relatives within `three grades of family' are involved in a lawsuit at the time," DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said yesterday.

"Three grades of family" refer to parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

The ban was approved during the DPP caucus' meeting yesterday. It comes in the wake of DPP Legislator Lin Yun-sheng (林耘生) expressing interest in sitting on the Judiciary Committee.

Lin's father, Lin Tsung-nan (林宗男), is facing corruption charges relating to his tenure as the previous Nantou County commissioner.

"I want to sign up for the Judiciary Committee for me, not for my father. I thought other committees might be too popular. But now I will follow the decision that was made at the caucus meeting," Lin Yun-sheng said.

Meanwhile, legislators across party lines will propose an amendment to the Legislators' Conduct Act (立法委員行為法) to make this prohibition applicable to all legislators.