The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) yesterday expelled Taipei Culture Foundation deputy chief executive Chang Yi-san (張益贍) from the party following a magazine report alleging an extramarital affair with another party member.
However, the party cited evidence that Chang had discussed negative campaign strategies with a representative of another political party “without the authorization of the TPP” as the reason for his expulsion.
Chang’s behavior contravened the “principle of integrity and honesty” in the TPP’s regulations and “severely damaged” its image, it said in a statement.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
After a meeting of the TPP Central Review Committee in the afternoon, the party decided to expel Chang, it added.
The statement said that the committee earlier yesterday initially decided to “suspend” Chang, who is a member of the TPP Central Committee, following the magazine report about personal “emotional matters” between him and TPP caucus assistant Tsai Yi-fang (蔡宜芳), who in January ran for a legislative seat representing Taipei’s Xinyi-Southern Songshan (信義-南松山) constituency.
Chang said in a separate statement that he would resign as deputy chief executive of the foundation, which is overseen by the Taipei City Government, and for causing his family trouble and the negative social perception.
Taipei City Government deputy spokesman Tai Yu-wen (戴于文) said that Chang had tendered his resignation to Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), who is also chairman of the TPP.
Ko respects Chang’s decision and hopes he can handle his personal issues appropriately, Tai said.
The Chinese-language Want Weekly reported that Chang and Tsai were spotted together three times between Feb. 27 and Tuesday last week.
On Feb. 27, Chang picked Tsai up from work and the two were seen strolling about Taipei’s Xinyi District (信義), the magazine said.
The two were seen entering a motel late on Sunday last week and kissing on Tuesday last week, the magazine said.
Chang is married and has a daughter who is five years younger than Tsai, it added.
Want Weekly said that when it contacted Chang, he denied going to the motel, but after being told that the magazine had evidence, he claimed that he was there to “discuss work.”
The magazine said that when it contacted Tsai, she replied that she and Chang were colleagues who often met, saying that they went to the motel for a meeting.
The magazine cited her as saying that she knew Chang is married, and that she and Chang did not have a personal relationship.
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