SOUTHERN CONNECTION: Pingtung County has the highest number of candidates who are to take part despite involvement in criminal cases, followed by Kaohsiung

Taipei Times
Date: Oct 19, 2018
By: Ann Maxon  /  Staff reporter

Sixty-six minor-party and independent candidates standing in the Nov. 24 city and county councilor elections have been involved in criminal cases, including 14 corruption cases and 42 cases of election fraud or breach of election law, the New Power Party (NPP) said yesterday.

A number of candidates were convicted or indicted for drunk driving, two for improper influence, three for coercion, two for intimidation or extortion, one for murder and one for attempted murder, NPP data showed.

While most have been found guilty, some are still being tried, the list showed.

The only minor-party candidates listed were Kaohsiung City Councilor Wu Ming-tsu (吳銘賜) of the Taiwan Solidarity Union and Yilan County Councilor Chen Chieh-lin (陳傑麟) of the People First Party, who are running for re-election.

Wu, who left the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in July, has been embroiled in an improper influence case and Chen has been charged with corruption.    [FULL  STORY]