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Thomas Lauderdale, founder of the band Pink Martini, is a politically active progressive, but he joined numerous rock-ribbed Republicans in contributing to the campaign of Jimmy Crumpacker, a Portlander who recently moved to Bend and is running in the GOP primary to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.).
Crumpacker hails from a storied West Hills family and served on the board of Oregon Ballet Theatre before becoming a candidate.
Related: A longtime Portlander seeks to ride President Trump's coattails into a congressional seat.
But on April 3, Lauderdale sent Crumpacker an email, which he copied to dozens of prominent Portlanders, expressing regret he'd given Crumpacker $250.
"The advertising you've mounted for your campaign demonstrates no desire to build bridges, or cross party lines," Lauderdale wrote. "In fact, it is quite the opposite. I would go so far as to say it is racist, xenophobic and anti-American. Therefore, I must ask for my donation back."
Crumpacker and Lauderdale could not be reached for comment.
Here is the full text of Lauderdale's April 3 email:
Dear Jimmy Crumpacker,
I want to follow up my letter to you dated January 14. In that letter, I said, "Although I am a Democrat, I sent in a donation to your campaign because I like you and because I admire your family. I also appreciate your work with Oregon Ballet Theater, and both Hunter and I were intrigued by the ideas you talked about at Peter Gronquist's party."
I concluded by writing, "I think it's very important to find commonalities and cross party lines. I don't think there is nearly enough of that these days."
As I have watched your campaign unfold – first, with your campaign announcement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrZOifgl98w and most recently with your commercial "Sound Guy" posted on YouTube a week ago https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXDiuEf2irM – I realize I have made a serious mistake.
The advertising you've mounted for your campaign demonstrates no desire to build bridges, or cross party lines. In fact, it is quite the opposite. The inflammatory language and choice of images is divisive and entirely offensive to me. I would go so far as to say it is racist, xenophobic and anti-American, as far as I define what it means to be an American.
Therefore, I must ask for my donation back. Please take me off your supporter list. And if you cannot return my donation, please make one in the same amount to Oregon Ballet Theater.
I am still your friend. But I cannot support your campaign in any way.
Best,
Thomas M. Lauderdale