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TSU revokes January candidacies of two lawmakers

The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) revoked the candidacies of legislators David Huang (黃適卓) and Yin Ling-ying (尹伶瑛) for the January legislative elections yesterday after they defied the party's warning to refrain from making remarks detrimental to the party.

The TSU's Central Executive Committee resolved on Monday to admonish the pair and warn them that their candidacies were at risk if they continued to make remarks detrimental to the party. The pair were also warned their could face expulsion.

The repudiation notice came after the pair held a press conference at the legislature yesterday afternoon.

Huang told reporters that he would leave the party today if it failed to expel TSU Legislator Lai Shin-yuan (賴幸媛) and nullify her candidacy for legislator-at-large. He also asked the party to remove members of the "anti-Chen campaign" working at TSU headquarters.

The "anti-Chen campaign" was launched by former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman Shih Ming-teh (施明德) last year in a bid to force President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to resign amid corruption allegations against him, his wife and his closest aides.

Members were dubbed the "red-shirt army."

Producing a photocopy of what he called a "destroy the pan-green plan," Huang said Lai's boyfriend had suggested that Liu Kun-li (劉坤鱧) -- a member of the "anti-Chen campaign" -- work at TSU headquarters. Huang said Liu sent an e-mail about the "destroy the pan-green plan" to TSU spokeswoman Chou Mei-li (周美里) in August.

Under the plan, the TSU would nominate at least 43 candidates for district legislative elections.

Huang said such a proposal would lead to the destruction of the pan-green camp.

Lai dismissed Huang's allegations yesterday as "ridiculous." She said she would not dance to his tune.

Yin told the same press conference she was disappointed with the TSU, which she said has treated her and other district legislators like "trash." She said it was trying to destroy them in a bid to win votes for its legislator-at-large candidates.

To demonstrate her determination to separate herself from a party "siding with the red-shirt army," she took off the party vest she was wearing.

Legislator Liao Pen-yen (廖本煙) tearfully announced his withdrawal from the party at the press conference, following the TSU's verification on Monday that both he and Legislator Huang Chung-yung (黃宗源) had been expelled.

He took off a party vest autographed on Sept. 7, 2004, by former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) -- TSU's "spiritual leader."

Calling Lai a "covert operator of the Chinese Communist Party [KMT]," Huang Chung-yun said she should be dismissed. He said he expects to join the DPP before the legislative elections.

Liao said he was willing to work with any party that "travels on the same path" he does.
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