The legislature yesterday refused to take up a proposal to turn PFP lawmaker Diane Lee (
DPP Legislator Peter Lin (
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
"The bill will be set aside due to protest [from PFP lawmakers]," ruled Vice Legislative Speaker Chiang Ping-kun (
Under legislative rules, opposition from a single lawmaker suffices to block the introduction of any extraordinary bills.
Lin said he would ask his colleagues to endorse his initiative and file it through regular procedures next week.
"The legislature will have trouble defending its decision today if the court finds Lee guilty of libel later," he said.
Earlier, Twu, acting head of the Department of Health, filed libel suits against Lee and her constituent Cheng Ko-jung (
The two had mistakenly accused Twu of making forceful sexual advances on Cheng during a KTV party on Aug. 6.
Lin said he will carry on with the campaign to punish Lee and her PFP colleague Yang Fu-mei (
Yang said she could not provide any evidence of the sexual encounter as she learned of it through the grapevine.
TSU lawmaker Lo Chih-ming (羅志明) said that malignant rumormongers such as Lee and Yang should be punished. He noted that the legislature stood behind Lee when she was physically attacked by former independent colleague Lo Fu-chu (羅福助) in March last year.
"Lo Fu-chu was later suspended from the legislature for six months. Now Lee should face the consequences of her mistake in a gracious manner," the TSU legislator said.
Lee, while apologetic, has showed no intention of stepping down in the face or pressure to do so.
She did not make any public appearances yesterday. Aides said she was making preparations for a court hearing today.
Observers say it is unlikely for the legislature to adopt any disciplinary measures against Lee, as her party and the KMT have vowed to kill any such proposal.
Together, the two caucuses enjoy a slight edge, 19-17, in the Procedure Committee where the legislative calendar is decided.
PFP Legislator Lee Ching-hua (李慶華), elder brother of Diane Lee, said his sister, gripped by a deep sense of guilt, has slept very little for the past week. He called on her critics to be forgiving, saying his sister is generally recognized as one of Taiwan's best lawmakers.
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