By Chris Wang / Staff reporter
Greater Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) yesterday dismissed rumors that gangsters had played a role in the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) elections on Sunday, as two party officials traded accusations of inappropriate conduct.
“Gang members don’t have name tags on their faces,” Chen told reporters in Greater Kaohsiung, referring to allegations that gangsters from the south were brought in by her followers to influence the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) and Central Standing Committee (CSC) elections in Taipei.
Hung Chih-kun (洪智坤), one of 30 CEC members elected on Sunday, made the accusation on Monday and filed a report with the DPP.
Hung used to work under Chen at the Kaohsiung City Government and used to be a member of the so-called Chen faction.
Hung earlier this week called for Lee Ching-fu (李清福), a member of Chen’s faction, to resign from his new post as a member of the Central Standing Committee because he was sentenced to six years in prison for taking bribes when he served as chief of Ciaotou Township (橋頭) from 1994 to 1998.
DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) came out in support of Chen’s integrity, while reiterating that the party would conduct a fair investigation as soon as possible.
Lee countered Hung’s charges yesterday by filing a report with the party, accusing the latter of making false allegations on political talk shows “that are traditionally viewed as being hostile to the DPP” and of violating party regulations by making such accusations via unofficial channels.
Lee also quoted former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmaker Chiu Yi (邱毅) as saying that Hung had “betrayed the party” when he privately met with KMT politicians before the Jan. 14 presidential election and called on the party to investigate Hung’s behavior.
DPP spokesperson Lin Chun-hsien (林俊憲) said that, in line with past practice, the two reports would be reviewed by the CSC — the party’s highest decisionmaking and administrative body.