GROUP CHAT:DPP Legislator Rosalia Wu said the incident showed that the party is democratic, as members engaged in a rational debate about same-sex marriage

Taipei Times
Date: Jan 25, 2017
By: Chen Wei-han / Staff reporter

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lo Chih-cheng (羅致政) yesterday admitted to leaking a private text conversation between DPP lawmakers about draft legislation on same-sex marriage, with party members downplaying the incident and describing the leak as a well-intentioned blunder.

Taipei City Councilor Chung Hsiao-ping (鍾小平) on Monday released a set of screen grabs from a private group chat by the DPP legislative caucus on the messaging application, Line, revealing DPP legislators discussions about the possible repercussions of the legislation.

DPP legislators Tuan Yi-kang (段宜康), Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) and Julian Kuo (郭正亮) had been debating the effect of the same-sex marriage legislation on the party’s electoral performance, with Chung criticizing the DPP for seeking political gain by pushing the legislation.

Tuan, who withdrew from the group chat immediately after the conversation was exposed, was criticized for currying favor with young voters with the legislation after Chung wrote that the DPP’s approval ratings among young voters would be “moved to the intensive care unit” in less than six months and the party would lose the support of the younger generation to the New Power Party if it does not handle the same-sex marriage issue properly.    [FULL  STORY]