LDP dismisses lawmaker's request to review penalty over funds scandal

The Liberal Democratic Party on Tuesday decided not to review a punishment it imposed on the de facto leader of its largest faction over his role in the political funds scandal, making it likely that the lawmaker will leave the ruling party.Ryu Shionoya, chairman of the faction formerly led by the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, had sought a review of a recommendation that he leave the party -- the harshest of the punishments handed to dozens of LDP members over the creation of hundreds of millions of yen in off-the-book money from fundraising party revenues for years.The 74-year-old House …READ FULL ARTICLE