To the Editor:
To the Leadership Fund PAC:
I received the recent mailer from your organization designed to be a hit piece against Keizer resident and former city councilor Richard Walsh.
Kim Thatcher and Richard Walsh deserve to be treated at all times with dignity and respect. Your PAC’s mailer of vicious lies toward Richard Walsh and disgusting disrespect of Kim Thatcher was absolutely despicable.
To characterize Richard as favoring homelessness, lower educational standards, and defunding police is a bald-faced lie. Richard served with distinction on the Keizer City Council for 10 years, and his service and values earned him the respect and admiration of people throughout Keizer. He promotes housing and services for people experiencing homelessness, extraordinary parks, educational excellence, and fully funding our police.
To disrespect Kim Thatcher with this dreadful mailer, to be so ignorant of her extraordinary track record of leadership, service and community wide respect, and to think that she needs something this vile in order to win is also shameful and inexcusable. Kim Thatcher is strong and principled and works hard for the people of Keizer and this district, serving with distinction on our behalf.
Keizer is very fortunate to have two extraordinarily talented, dedicated, principled, and respected people running to serve in the state senate. I am blessed that they are both residents of this great city and that I get to call both of them my friend.
Senator Thatcher and former Councilor Walsh deserve better than this and you owe them both and the entire Keizer community a retraction and apology. This is not how we conduct ourselves in our community I will thank you to keep your dirty politics out of Keizer.
Cathy Clark
Keizer
(Cathy Clark is the mayor of Keizer.)