Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) yesterday said he welcomed an investigation into allegations of misconduct made by a fellow lawmaker.
Ker has been asked to withdraw from the legislator-at-large race amid claims that campaign rivals have a load of potentially explosive information that could upset the DPP’s chances for a comeback next year.
The information includes documents that could damage both his and his party’s “image and credibility,” said DPP Legislator Wang Sing-nan (王幸男), who has asked the party’s disciplinary committee to probe the accusations, which he said date back years.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
“If I don’t point them out now … you can be sure that the Chinese Nationalist Party [KMT] will use this information before the Jan. 14 presidential election,” Wang said, carrying stacks of papers.
The papers are believed to contain information about Ker’s alleged connections with organized crime and possible involvement in financial misdeeds, knowledgeable sources said.
Wang would not discuss the papers, except to say: “What I say could shock the entire party … and there are also other cases still unmentioned — 10 or 20 cases.”
Ker was re-elected caucus whip last month despite being given a six-month suspended sentence by the High Court for failing to return a NT$12 million (US$380,000) loan in the Formosa Telecom case, a decision that can be appealed to the Supreme Court.
However, Wang’s complaints appear to be linked to the controversy over the DPP’s legislator-at-large nominations rather than an attempt to force Ker to resign.
Wang, a four-term lawmaker, was not included on the list of at-large nominees released last month, giving him almost no chance of re-election. He could run as a district lawmaker, but only in a difficult-to-win district that lacks a DPP candidate.
Ker, who commands support from the majority of DPP lawmakers, was given the No. 2 spot on the roster, making his re-election all but certain.
Wang said he “wasn’t happy” with the list and he hoped Ker “would reconsider the offer.”
Wang’s tactics could backfire because the party sees them as a stunt and DPP officials appear willing to downplay his complaints.
Ker said he would accept a probe by the party because he has nothing to hide.
“If anybody could ‘kill’ Ker Chien-ming, the KMT would have done it already … and if [I] really had problems, they would have already been brought to light by the KMT,” he said, adding that it was only natural for DPP whip to be among those topping the roster.
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