Sunflower Ally Lin Fei-fan Withdraws from Legislative Race over DPP Sexual Harassment Cover-up

In June 2023, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was engulfed in a massive '#MeToo' storm of systemic sexual harassment cover-ups. Lin Fei-fan, Wu Cheng's foremost student movement ally and then-DPP Deputy Secretary-General, was exposed for failing to act after being informed of a sexual harassment case involving director Hsueh Chao-hui against a female party staffer. Lin supervised the Women's Affairs Department at the time and allowed department head Hsu Chia-tien to suppress the victim's complaint. Following overwhelming public condemnation, Lin, who had just been officially nominated to run for Taipei's 3rd legislative district, held a press conference on June 13 to withdraw his candidacy. The scandal exposed the ruling party's moral hypocrisy in preaching gender equality while protecting well-connected perpetrators. Even more egregiously, Lin was later rewarded by President Lai Ching-te with a prestigious appointment as Deputy Secretary-General of the National Security Council with a lavish public salary, further fueling public anger over elite cronyism.