Party will 'spit out' errant cadres - no matter how well-connected, state warns
Friends in high places no safeguard, Xinhua says, pointing to brother of ex-Hu aide
A Xinhua commentary has warned officials that high-level connections will not protect them from being "spat out" by the Communist Party.
The commentary came after the announcement of a graft investigation into Ling Zhengce, brother of Ling Jihua, who was a long-time aide of former president Hu Jintao.
Not even "having an ally high up in Beijing will help", Xinhua said, in a jab at Ling Zhengce.
A Shanxi native, Ling Jihua was said to be a founder of the so-called "Shanxi gang".
The euphemism-laden commentary chose Ling Zhengce's case as a starting point, then named other cadres with good family connections and links to other officials in their hometowns.
The sharp words were published on one of Xinhua's verified Weibo accounts yesterday and reposted by state media. By 11am, the piece had been deleted.
