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Ministry discusses
discipline against Huang Shih-ming
By Rich Chang / Staff reporter, with CNA
The Ministry of Justice’s Prosecutor Evaluation Committee yesterday held a
meeting to decide whether to discipline Prosecutor-General Huang Shih-ming (黃世銘)
over the Special Investigation Division’s (SID) wiretapping of the Legislative
Yuan’s switchboard.
The most severe disciplinary action the committee could take against Huang would
be to send him to the Control Yuan for impeachment, committee spokesman Peng
Wen-cheng (彭文正) said.
As of press time, the meeting was ongoing.
On Thursday, Huang survived an impeachment vote after a tied vote in the Control
Yuan resulted in the defeat of the motion.
Huang was cleared by a vote of five for, five against, giving him some breathing
space despite continued calls from opposition parties for him to step down.
According to Control Yuan regulations, an impeachment vote needs a clear
majority to be passed. A tie amounts to the defeat of the motion.
However, members are allowed to propose another impeachment resolution after a
failed vote.
Huang, who is facing trial on charges of leaking details about an ongoing
investigation, has said he would step down if he was impeached or found guilty
by the district court.
In late August and early September, Huang allegedly informed President Ma Ying-jeou
(馬英九) that SID prosecutors had overheard conversations implicating Legislative
Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) in improper lobbying.
They alleged Wang sought to prevent Taiwan High Prosecutors’ Office prosecutor
Lin Shiow-tao (林秀濤) from seeking an appeal in a breach of a trust case against
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘).
The conversations were collected from wiretaps that were part of an unrelated
investigation involving Ker.
Opposition parties have labeled the wiretaps illegal and faulted Huang for
briefing Ma on an ongoing investigation.
Huang said it was part of his duty to disclose to the president information on
improper lobbying involving senior politicians, adding that the wiretapping of
the legislature’s switchboard was a mistake.
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