TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The TPP has amended its disciplinary rules following the conviction of former party chair Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) on charges of corruption, embezzlement, and other crimes.

Ko was sentenced to 17 years in prison for taking bribes related to the Core Pacific project and embezzling political donations tied to his 2024 presidential campaign. Under the TPP’s previous rules, members convicted of serious crimes faced the risk of expulsion, per Liberty Times.

However, after Ko’s conviction, party Chair Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) emphasized that the party views Ko’s case as political persecution, not a breach of ethics, per Newtalk. He argued that, since the rules are designed to address ethical violations and not "victims of political oppression," internal disciplinary rules do not apply in this case.

TPP Disciplinary Committee Chair Li Wei-hua (李偉華) confirmed that an exception clause had been added to the party’s disciplinary rules, per FTNN. The updated rules stipulate that if the disciplinary committee recognizes "special conditions" in a particular case, severe criminal convictions may not lead to punishment.

The changes, however, have prompted pushback within the party. Sources within the TPP suggested that, given the recent adjustments made to accommodate Hsinchu City Mayor Kao Hung-an’s (高虹安) criminal case, there was no need for further rule changes for Ko, per Tai Sounds. One source warned that the modification could reinforce perceptions that the TPP is creating exceptions for select individuals.

In addition, a TPP insider noted that Huang did not follow the usual procedure of proposing the rule changes to Li before announcing them to the party. The insider suggested that, since the party believes Ko is being persecuted, Huang faced little opposition in pushing through the changes during a party meeting.

In related news, the TPP announced Thursday that it will hold a rally at Ketagalan Boulevard on Sunday afternoon. Initially, KMT Legislative Caucus Convener Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁) stated that all KMT lawmakers were free to participate but later clarified that KMT members should show support for the event, per Z.Media.

Meanwhile, DPP Legislative Caucus Secretary-General Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) cautioned against politicizing the case, suggesting that doing so could create a negative perception of Ko, per SETN. He stressed the importance of avoiding emotionally driven actions in the defense of Taiwan’s democracy and rule of law.