The People First Party (PFP) will seek to work with other lawmakers to form a caucus in the legislature after its caucus member Lin Cheng-er (林正二) was found guilty of vote-buying, PFP Legislator Thomas Lee (李桐豪) said.
Lin was sentenced to 20 months in prison for vote-buying during the legislative election campaign in 2007, leaving the PFP legislative caucus short of the three-seat threshold for a caucus in the legislature.
A caucus can initiate bills or propose motions without having to gather a certain number of signatures first. It can also take part in cross-party negotiations, a mechanism vital to how the legislature works.
The PFP must have two other seats in the legislature to form a caucus composed of lawmakers with different party registrations as required by the Organic Law of the Legislative Yuan (立法院組織法).
Lee said that the party has contacted Non-Partisan Solidarity Union Legislator May Chin (高金素梅) and independent Legislator Chen Hsueh-sheng (陳雪生) over the possibility of forming a caucus with him and PFP Legislator Chen Yi-chieh (陳怡潔).
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislative caucus whip Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) said that the party has banned its caucus members from forming a caucus with the PFP lawmakers because “the KMT is a rigid party.”
PFP Deputy Secretary-General Liu Wen-hsiung (劉文雄) said the verdict against Lin was politically motivated, with the KMT intent on “going after the PFP.”
Liu said that finding Lin guilty for treating his campaign workers to meals and sending them campaign uniforms were ridiculous. He added that the party would assist Lin in filing an extraordinary appeal.
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