Chapter 974

Those present, the Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee members, upon hearing Mayor Wang's attitude so firm, knew that this newly arrived Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee had run into a hard obstacle.

Although these Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee members appear low-key, each of them keeps their own accounts in mind.

They know exactly who is close to whom, who is whose staunch confidant, and which leader backs whom behind the scenes.

Otherwise, why would some disciplinary results be delayed for months, even half a year?

It's because everyone's superiors are a tangled web of complex relationships; you never know which line they've climbed behind their back.

Especially someone like Su Yang—they can recite his résumé from Huatian Town from memory.

Therefore, after all these events, at the Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee meeting, no one has openly criticized Su Yang; anyone who has openly criticized Su Yang or tried to cause him trouble is already eating prison food.

Even at the level of the Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee, besides praise, commendation, and compliments for Su Yang, no other voice can be heard.

Deputy Secretary Zhang, you haven't even clarified the situation, yet you want to take action against them—where does your confidence come from?

Zhang Jiangbo's face alternated between green and white; for a Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee to openly oppose the mayor is obviously unwise.

But he still turned his gaze to others, hoping other standing committee members would stand up and support him, after all he also has considerable prestige.

The key is that he came down from Jingcheng, and behind him are powerful connections.

As a result, even the Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee members whom he had previously visited individually to win over and who had promised to support him to some extent on certain matters now ignore him completely.

He could only turn to Municipal Party Committee Secretary Zhaikai, not believing that the secretary could side with the mayor. This would be impossible anywhere, and it's against convention.

If the Municipal Party Committee Secretary and the mayor are of one mind, unless there is a special situation locally requiring united effort, otherwise this is an unfavorable signal for development, and usually one of them will be transferred.

He simply said: "Secretary Zhao, what's your opinion? I always thought that what needs to be handled must be handled, but we shouldn't implicate innocent people. If we go by that, wouldn't all the county's leading cadres be punished? If so, wouldn't that be a disaster? How would others get any work done?"

Zhaikai smiled faintly: "Secretary Zhang's argument is not problematic; the person responsible for the accident should be dealt with, but I also agree with Mayor Wang's view that if we are to handle it, we must do so severely."

"All party and government top leaders bear an inescapable responsibility and should be dealt with severely and promptly. However, considering that the truth of this matter has not yet been investigated clearly, to arbitrarily impose punishment now would be irresponsible toward the cadres below in the county."

"But those who are on duty yet irresponsible, who failed to handle this matter promptly, leading to it not being properly resolved, deserve even stricter punishment."

"I personally have a few suggestions: first, the on-duty Public Security Bureau leaders at the time should bear responsibility, receiving a Party internal warning."

"Second, the township leaders who should have been on duty at the time should be collectively removed from office, and the Township Party Committee Secretary should receive a major demerit."

"Third, the leaders of the Lieshan Xian Political and Legal Affairs Commission system have failed in their duties, their regular work lacking, leading to a failure to take active measures after the sudden incident, allowing the negative impact to continue expanding; therefore, Comrade Qi Guohui, secretary of the Lieshan Xian Political and Legal Affairs Commission, shall be given a major demerit and this shall be announced city-wide."

"Finally, I add: if the first scene of this homicide occurred at the project, then the project leader Su Yang naturally should bear responsibility; but if not, it's possible someone is fabricating the scene or trying to use this matter for political extortion, in which case the Municipal Party Committee will show no leniency."

"Anyone involved will be dealt with to the end. The political environment of Lieshan Xian has finally gotten back on track; I don't want to go backwards, returning to that previous corrupt and murky era."

Since taking office, Secretary Zhao has always appeared relatively modest; this is the first time he has shown such solemnity, which startled everyone present.

They only knew that Su Yang had a very good relationship with Mayor Wang and deep interactions with Minister Lu, but they had never heard that Su Yang also had such a good relationship with Secretary Zhao.

Moreover, Secretary Zhao has only just arrived in the city not long ago; not to mention a division-level cadre like Su Yang, even the Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee members who have been paying visits haven't yet called on him. Could it be that Su Yang made this connection through some provincial leader?

Or perhaps Secretary Zhao intends to give a warning to this Deputy Secretary Zhang who came down from Jingcheng and thinks highly of himself? The Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee is not something someone like him can sway.

Everyone had various speculations in their hearts, but they showed nothing on their faces; since the Municipal Party Committee Secretary has already decided, if the mayor does not object, then others just need to carry it out.

As expected, Wang HuaiZhong naturally raised both hands in approval, saying: "I fully agree with Secretary Zhao's suggestions; since this is the Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee, let's vote on his several proposals—those in favor, please raise your hands."

After saying that, he was the first to raise his hand, followed immediately by Organization Department Minister Lu Zhi Xin, and then the other standing committee members also raised their hands one after another. Zhang Jiangbo only felt his hand stiff, but he eventually raised it as well.

Municipal Party Committee Secretary Zhaikai raised his hand last; he was still fairly satisfied with the result. This was his first vote since taking office; although he rode on Su Yang's coattails, Wang HuaiZhong and Lu Zhi Xin clearly supported him, allowing the first vote meeting to pass unanimously, but for him, regardless of how things turn out or how the process goes, he only looks at the outcome.

No matter which Municipal Party Committee Secretary, upon first taking office and holding their first vote meeting, hopes to end with such a grand satisfactory conclusion, which undoubtedly makes him very pleased.

However, Zhang Jiangbo felt greatly humiliated, thinking: In front of so many people, he had jumped the gun to propose convening the Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee, intending to use this opportunity to put Su Yang in his place and let Su Yang know why the flower is so red, but he didn't expect to be slapped hard in the face.

In an attempt to save face, he then said: "Secretary Zhao, comrades, I have another matter: it concerns personnel changes in our county. Given the current push for investment promotion in our county, the requirements for the business environment are relatively higher."

"Our current Discipline Inspection Commission secretary has been inactive at work for five years, with only a handful of cases involving section-chief level or higher."

"The most recent one was still the case of Geng Miao, in which they passively investigated some cadres."

"Strictly speaking, he has neither initiative nor drive in his work; such a position is essentially nominal, and such a Discipline Inspection Commission secretary is weak and incompetent."

"If we encounter those corrupt cadres who extort and take kickbacks in the future investment promotion process, I can assure you he will remain just as he is now, which would be harmful to our investors."

"I propose transferring him to a municipal-level department. Furthermore, our county's Public Security Bureau Director Sun Chengjun, who previously was suspected of irregular promotions, should have been on duty when this incident occurred, but instead he went on vacation—this is outright irresponsibility."

"If a major case occurs in the future and he is not on duty, what then? Therefore I suggest sending this young Public Security Bureau chief down to the townships to gain experience; specifically, he could be appointed as the township People's Congress chairman. Any thoughts on this?"