More Corruption Involving In-Laws and Heavyweight Pols

Let's take a look at a recent corruption case. In-laws receiving shady money? Check. Party heavyweight involved in petty corruption? Check. Secret payments and false names? Check. Clearly, this is just the kind of politician the pan-Blues claim they don't want in Taiwan.

Nope, I'm not talking about President Chen Shui-bian , but James Soong, Chairman of the PFP, pan-Blue, and veteran of many protests attacking Chen for a lack of integrity. Soong lost his appeal in court today and must pay a massive fine for tax evasion:

James Soong, chairman of the opposition People First Party (PFP), was the first political leader in Taiwan asked by the court to pay a big fine over tax evasion.

The Supreme Administrative Court rejected his appeal of a lower court decision in his tax evasion case. Soong will have to pay NT$26.42 million to the national treasury as the Supreme Administrative Court's ruling is final.

According to the National Tax Administration, Soong failed to pay a gift tax when he remitted more than NT$42 million left over from his 1994 gubernatorial campaign funds into his daughter-in-law's bank account in five installments under five different names. The amount exceeded the ceiling for non-taxable gifts.

Five installments under five different names. Think some of those pan-Blues out there screaming at Chen will move over to PFP headquarters and camp there?

Don't make me laugh.

[Taiwan] [Chen Shui-bian] [PFP] [James Soong]

*(Meanwhile the Control Yuan announced that yet another evidence-free accusation of Chiu Yi against President Chen was found wanting today as no irregularities were discovered with the alleged secret account of President Chen.)

Crossposted from The View from Taiwan