Mon, Oct 08, 2001 page3

• Lo flexes his political muscles to help lawmaker son

  FAMILY TIES The legislator known for his organized crime links and for punching a female colleague is back because he feels `the rats act erratically when the cat is away'

  • By Crystal Hsu / STAFF REPORTER
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  He's back.

  Lo Fu-chu (羅福助), the independent lawmaker who was banned from the legislature last April for punching People First Party lawmaker Diane Lee (李慶安), has appeared in the legislature three times over the last three weeks.

  

  Independent lawmaker Lo Fu-chu gives cameras a thumbs up.

  PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES

  His return was prompted by a seemingly acute desire to ensure that his lawmaker son, Lo Ming-tsai (羅明才), gets a leading berth on the legislature's Finance Committee. It is also a very controversial return because the six-month ban has yet to expire.

  "Although they have suspended my right to take part in the legislature, I am not prohibited from stepping onto its premises," he told the committee last Wednesday, as it reconsidered whether the younger Lo should be allowed to remain the body's convener.

  "Rats act erratically while the cat is away," said the elder Lo, styling himself as guardian of the nation's highest assembly.

  Internal rules

  At issue is the election on Sept. 26 of his son as a convener of the highly influential committee for the third consecutive session, in violation of internal rules which bar members from seeking re-election twice.

  "No rule has been flouted," the senior Lo said. "As Lo Ming-tsai got the post at the request of all committee members present. I myself headed the Transportation Committee for three consecutive sessions in the same way."

  He threatened to stonewall the legislature and expose the dirty secrets of his "hypocritical" colleagues should they treat his son "unfairly."

  "I know you guys too well to not know your true colors. Some frequent brothels while others engage in vote-buying, bid-rigging and many other corrupt deals."

  He singled out DPP lawmakers Lin Wen-lang (林文郎) and Chou Po-lun (周伯倫), calling the former a pretender and the latter a womanizer.

  None raised an objection while the elder Lo delivered his hour-long harangue, with his son looking on.

  Despite a reputation for fist-fighting and close links to organized crime, Lo Fu-chu, 58, seems to be one of the most powerful lawmakers.

  Aides say that his lack of partisan affiliations allows the two-term lawmaker to serve his constituents "free of burden" and that members across party lines owe him favors.

  Many times Lo helped defuse standoffs between the ruling and opposition caucuses, said Ma Kung-chuang (馬康莊), Lo's top assistant.

  Had his boss not intervened, Ma recalled, former premier Lien Chan (連戰) would not have been able to break through the opposition boycott and set his foot in the legislature back in 1996.

  New Party lawmaker Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) shared the observation, noting that speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) had many times asked Lo to help remove hindrances to smooth the legislature's functioning.

  "It is true that when Lo is present, colleagues demonstrate more restraint and shy away from willful filibustering," he said.

  Lai, one of the most ferocious critics of the government, balked at commenting on the fray over the Finance Committee, saying that he is not on the panel.

  Tsai Hau (蔡豪), an independent lawmaker and an ally of Lo, portrayed his controversial friend as a professional and devoted colleague.

  "Over the years, many bills have owed their prompt passage to Lo's intercession," Tsai said. "Once he promises to help, Lo will see to it that things turn out the way he wants them to."

  Conflicts of interest

  Apart from breaking the two-session-limit rule, critics raised concern over potential conflicts of interest in the Lo case. The elder Lo owns a securities firm that is under investigation for financial irregularities.

  The critics called on both Los to quit the finance committee altogether in support of clean politics.

  Denying any illicit trade-offs, the father and son refused to compromise their prerogatives and challenged their critics to prove their accusations with concrete evidence. "I hate being wrongfully accused," said the elder Lo. "Most of my colleagues are no better than me, morally or professionally."

  For that reason, Lo is outraged when referred to as "Big Brother" -- a typical title given to gang bosses here.

  In March, the piqued Lo punched People First Party lawmaker Diane Lee (李慶安) on the legislative floor, saying Lee had spread rumors implicating him in the scandal involving a private college.

  The ruling DPP said that 12 of its lawmakers fell victim to Lo's violence after disputing with him over different policy issues.

  Even Tsai, although a supporter of Lo, expressed his reservations about his friend's emotional outbursts. "Lack of self-control is probably his biggest weakness," Tsai said.

  Still, many talk about Lo as a "Big Brother" as he admits to being one of the three founders and the "spiritual leader" of the Tiendaomeng (天道盟), a syndicate of Taiwanese gangs. Lo denies, however, that the organization is involved in criminal activities.

  In the 1980s, Lo was jailed under the so-called "anti-hooligan law," a legal catch-all frequently used to detain known gangsters on weak evidence. He later spent two years abroad in self-imposed exile before being elected to the legislature by Taipei County in 1995. He won a second term in 1998.

  "Never once have I strayed from the proper bounds when exercising my rights as an elected official," Lo said. "That explains why none of my accusers can hold me accountable for any wrongdoing."

  Abduction

  Bu Independent lawmaker Liao Hsueh-kuang (廖學廣), who blames Lo for his abduction in 1996 -- during the duration of which he was blindfolded, gagged and put in a cage -- painted Lo as a shameless liar.

  "Don't trust anything he says," Liao said. "It is fear of violent reprisals that causes colleagues to avoid confronting Lo head-on."

  It is not uncommon for Lo and his gangster friends to bring opponents to heel through such means as extortion and physical attack, Liao said.

  Months ago, Lo moved his registered residency to the capital city in an attempt to seek a legislative seat from its wealthy southern district.

  DPP rivals have launched a campaign urging the voters to reject Lo. They say that the legislature will never be freed from the influence of moneyed interests and organized crime if Lo and his kind remain members of the assembly. But Lo is not perturbed.

  Thousands of his supporters have allegedly followed his lead and have moved their registered residency to the constituency.

  "It will not be an easy job to thwart my bid," Lo said wryly.
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