Wikipedia

Eugene Jao

Eugene Jao (Chinese: 趙永清; born 9 November 1957) is a Taiwanese politician. He was a member of the Legislative Yuan between 1993 and 2008. Jao began his political career as a member of the Kuomintang before leaving the party in 2000. He switched affiliations to the Democratic Progressive Party in 2002. He has served on the Control Yuan since 2018.

Eugene Jao
Jao Yung-ching
MLY
趙永清
Official portrait, 2021
Member of the Control Yuan
Incumbent
Assumed office
22 January 2018
CY PresidentChen Chu
2nd Vice Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission
In office
1 August 2021 – 31 July 2022
ChairpersonChen Chu
Preceded byKao Yung-cheng
Succeeded byWang Jung-chang
Member of the Legislative Yuan
In office
1 February 1993 – 31 January 2008
ConstituencyTaipei County 3 (1999—2008)
Taipei County (1993–1999)
Personal details
Born (1957-11-09) 9 November 1957 (age 67)
NationalityTaiwanese
Political partyDemocratic Progressive Party (since 2002)
Other political
affiliations		Kuomintang (until 2000)
Independent (2000–2002)
Alma materNational Chengchi University (BA)
New York University (MA)

Education

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Jao graduated from the Affiliated Senior High School of National Taiwan Normal University and earned bachelor's and master's degree in political science from National Chengchi University in Taiwan and New York University in the United States, respectively.[1][2]

Political career

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Jao joined the Kuomintang due to the influence of his father, Jao Chang-chiang, and brother, both senior party members.[3][4] Jao was first elected to the Legislative Yuan in 1992.[3] In 1996, during Jao's second term, he received repeated death threats from fellow legislator Lo Fu-chu, who opposed anti-corruption bills Jao supported.[3] Jao remained popular entering his third legislative term due to his tendency to challenge his party caucus. In the 1998 election cycle, Jao received the most votes of any candidate in Taipei County.[3] A conflict of interest bill Jao backed as part of his anti-corruption crusade became law in June 2000.[5] Later that year, he joined a task force which discussed the state of Cross-Strait relations in context of the 1992 Consensus.[6] Jao vehemently opposed the activation of the Lungmen Nuclear Power Plant discussed in October.[7] Shortly thereafter, the Kuomintang suspended Jao's membership. Jao subsequently formed an independent legislative caucus, for which the KMT revoked his membership.[4] After spending some time as an independent,[8][9] Jao began his fourth legislative term as a member of the Democratic Progressive Party caucus.[10] In March 2002, he was named chief executive of a legislative task force called to consider passage of sunshine laws.[11] That July, Jao formally joined the Democratic Progressive Party.[4] During his fifth legislative term, Jao served as DPP caucus whip.[12][13] In 2006, Jao backed a proposed bill to regulate the Kuomintang's assets.[14] He lost reelection in 2008.[15][16] The Tsai Ing-wen administration nominated Jao to a seat on the Control Yuan in 2017.[17] He faced interpellation in January 2018 and took office with legislative consent.[18][19] He was renominated in June 2020.[20] Despite Kuomintang opposition to the number of Pan-Green nominees,[21] all 26 nominations were confirmed.[22]

Political stances

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Over the course of his legislative career, Jao has taken an interest in genetically modified food,[23][24] and food safety.[25] A noted environmentalist,[26] Jao has been active in discussions about energy policy[27][28] and water use.[29][30][31] He is opposed to the use of nuclear power.[32] Jao is also known for his interest in endangered species such as the black-faced spoonbill.[33][34]

Controversy

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Jao was one of five DPP politicians whom Chang Che-shen accused of slander in 2006.[35] Next Magazine first reported in 2007 that Jao had taken bribes from the National Chinese Herbal Apothecary Association in 1998.[36][37] In January 2008, Jao was one of eight lawmakers charged with taking bribes, from the National Chinese Herbal Apothecary Association in 1998 and the Taiwan Dental Association in 2003, in violation of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law.[38][39] The Taipei District Court ruled in 2009 that Jao was not guilty of the charges dating back to 1998.[40] Upon appeal to the Taiwan High Court, Jao was sentenced to eight years imprisonment.[41] His sentence for the charges stemming from 2003 was set at ninety months imprisonment in 2011.[42][43] The Supreme Court issued the final ruling on the case in 2016, deciding that Jao was not guilty of accepting bribes from the Taiwan Dental Association.[44]

References

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  1. ^ "Jao Yung-chin (3)". Legislative Yuan. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  2. ^ "Jao Yung-ching (6)". Legislative Yuan. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d Chu, Monique (24 August 2000). "Profile of the KMT's 'lonely bird'". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  4. ^ a b c Hsu, Crystal (20 July 2002). "A 'sunny boy' gives ruling party a boost by joining it". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  5. ^ Low, Stephanie (28 June 2000). "Conflict of interest law targets officials". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  6. ^ Huang, Joyce (3 October 2000). "Task force debates 'one China'". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  7. ^ Chiu, Yu-Tzu (3 October 2000). "Japan's nuclear activists say 'think again'". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  8. ^ "Jao Yung-ching (4)". Legislative Yuan. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  9. ^ Low, Stephanie (9 October 2001). "Lawmakers say fellow legislator belongs in prison". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  10. ^ Low, Stephanie (3 March 2002). "President willing to help independents form own caucus". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  11. ^ "Task force wants new laws to clean up party funding". Taipei Times. 16 March 2002. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  12. ^ Ko, Shu-ling (24 May 2005). "No support seen for DPP's move on Assembly law". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  13. ^ Huang, Jewel (9 December 2005). "Lu setting sights on the presidency: analysts". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  14. ^ Shih, Hsiu-chuan (6 October 2006). "Political party law draft passes committee review". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  15. ^ Mo, Yan-chih; Shih, Hsiu-chuan; Hsu, Jenny W. (12 January 2008). "Parties issue final appeal for support". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  16. ^ Huang, Wei-chu (14 January 2008). "Election fallout: 'New' legislature has same old faces". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  17. ^ Hsu, Stacy (3 March 2017). "Presidential Office defends nominations". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  18. ^ Lin, Sean (17 January 2018). "Control Yuan: DPP's Control Yuan nominees approved". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  19. ^ Lin, Liang-sheng; William, Hetherington (17 January 2018). "Control Yuan: 'United Daily News' rejects KMT funding allegations". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  20. ^ Ko, Chuan; Yeh, Su-ping; Kao, Evelyn (22 June 2020). "Chen Chu nominated to head Control Yuan, 26 other nominees unveiled". Central News Agency. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  21. ^ Hsiao, Sherry (24 June 2020). "Control Yuan 'painted green': KMT". Taipei Times. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  22. ^ Lin, Sean (18 July 2020). "Punches thrown as Chen Chu approved". Taipei Times. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  23. ^ Chuang, Chi-ting (16 October 2000). "Genetically modified foods need labeling". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  24. ^ Chiu, Yu-Tzu (16 September 2003). "Concern over GM papayas raised by Jao". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  25. ^ Chiu, Yu-Tzu (25 May 2004). "Government urged to establish strict criteria for dioxins". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  26. ^ Chiu, Yu-Tzu (14 December 2004). "New legislators to tackle environmental concerns". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  27. ^ Chiu, Yu-Tzu. "Taipower's nuclear budget frozen". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  28. ^ "Taipower adjusts electricity rates for summer months". Taipei Times. 22 July 2003. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  29. ^ Chiu, Yu-Tzu (21 March 2003). "Taiwan needs to recognize the real costs of water". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  30. ^ Chiu, Yu-Tzu (19 March 2003). "Taiwan on stage at water forum". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  31. ^ Chiu, Yu-Tzu (29 May 2003). "'Protectors' damage coast". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  32. ^ Huang, Jewel (28 April 2006). "Yu says DPP should discuss power issue". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  33. ^ Chiu, Yu-Tzu (3 January 2003). "Visiting experts list possible causes of spoonbill deaths". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  34. ^ Chiu, Yu-Tzu (29 December 2002). "Spoonbill deaths force rethink". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  35. ^ "DPP sues Ma for embezzlement". Taipei Times. 25 November 2006. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  36. ^ Wang, Flora; Shih, Hsiu-chuan (4 January 2007). "Premier dismisses bribery allegation". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  37. ^ Chang, Rich (21 June 2007). "Legislators quizzed over apothecary bribe allegations". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  38. ^ Chuang, Jimmy (18 January 2008). "Eight legislators charged with accepting bribes". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  39. ^ Chang, Rich (29 January 2008). "Lawmakers charged in dental association case". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  40. ^ Chuang, Jimmy (24 January 2009). "Two sentenced in herbal bribes case". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  41. ^ Chang, Rich (9 September 2010). "Lawmakers across party lines jailed over bribes". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  42. ^ Chang, Rich; Wang, Chris (28 September 2011). "DPP lawmaker Tsai, others sentenced". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  43. ^ Wang, Chris (29 September 2011). "Su to file lawsuit over farmhouse claims by Chiu". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  44. ^ "'Not guilty' verdict upheld in dental law lobbying case". Taipei Times. 5 March 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
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