Lee may veto bill on political funds, aide says

Lawmakers of rival parties are working in unison for legislation to help each other avoid charges related to political funds, drawing criticism from the public, prosecution and presidential office.

An aide to President Lee Myung-bak said Lee may veto the revised bill that practically legalizes political donations for legislative lobbying purposes.

“It would be an ex post facto legislation to offer immunity to those charged with (illegal) legislative lobbying,” the presidential aide was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency Monday.

“Some government officials say the president should exercise his right to veto (the revised bill).”

It is the first time Lee’s office mentioned the president’s legislative veto power, suggesting Cheong Wa Dae’s strong disapproval of the bill.

Lee’s spokesperson Kim Hee-jung said the presidential office expects the National Assembly to “carefully handle the matter in respect of public opinion.”

The revised bill on political funds submitted by 54 ruling and opposition legislators passed the parliamentary committee on public administration and security last Friday just 10 minutes after it was put to a vote without any discussions.

The unexpected and swift handling of the bill raised much criticism that the lawmakers were quick about issues serving their own interests while putting important bills on hold over partisan strife.

The bill is expected to be transferred to and discussed at the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee as early as this week.

The current law bans political donations using “funds related to” domestic or overseas corporations or organizations. This made possible the indictment of six legislators who allegedly received money from an association of security guards in 2009 in exchange for helping pass a law that raised their wages and retirement age.

The clause was changed to “funds of” organizations or corporations in the revised bill, allowing punishment only when it is clear the money accepted by a lawmaker came from an organization.

The legal ground for punishment becomes ambiguous under the revised bill if an organization donated money collected from its members, as the security group of Cheongmokhoe did. This could result in acquittal of the six lawmakers indicted over the cash-for-legislation case last year.

The move to save the troubled lawmakers prompted the prosecution to consider rewriting the bill of indictment.

The Seoul Northern District Prosecutors’ Office is mulling pressing charges against the six legislators for bribery instead of a political fund law violation to continue with the trials.

“We are thinking of changing it to bribery charges as one of our options if the revised bill passes the National Assembly,” a senior prosecutor said.

Leading politicians are taking a cautious stances toward the bill amid mounting public backlash.

Ruling Grand National Party chairman Ahn Sang-soo said “public opinion and juridical problems should be thoroughly reviewed at the judiciary committee” as the bill was causing controversy.

Democratic Party floor lead Park Jie-won said it would be difficult to pass the bill through the National Assembly this month.

By Kim So-hyun (sophie@heraldcorp.com)