Brandi Kruse
Politics • Culture • News
[un]Divided Newsletter: October 23, 2022
October 23, 2022
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Take a minute to [un]wind with our Sunday morning newsletter. Grab a cup of coffee and catch up on what you may have missed from [un]Divided this week.

Ballots have arrived

By now, most of you should have received your ballot for the November 8 election (if you are a Washington voter). Ballots must be returned to a drop box no later than 8pm on Election Day or returned via U.S. Mail and postmarked no later than Election Day (no postage required!)

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I asked folks on Twitter how long they wait to return their completed ballot. Most will drop them back in the mail over the next week or so. Remember you can check the status of your ballot here to ensure it has been received.

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This week on [un]Divided, we’ll have coverage of the broader national picture, as well as an increasingly close race for U.S. Senate in Washington State, a critical race for prosecutor in King County, and a closer look at a Washington swing district that could help put control of the House in GOP hands.

Exclusive: ‘I stepped in it and I’m sorry’

Leesa Manion, a candidate for King County prosecutor, sent staff an email yesterday apologizing for a comment she made at a recent candidate forum.

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Manion, who currently serves as chief of staff for the King County Prosecutor’s Office, is running against Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell.

At an October 20 forum, Manion was attempting to explain away her lack of trial experience. She said she could step into a courtroom "tomorrow" if she wanted to and compared the work of line prosecutors to the people who put "labels on boxes at Amazon." You can watch the remarks here.

"The CEO of Amazon is not putting the labels on the boxes and they're not driving the trucks,” she said, noting that voters are electing a prosecutor to “set the tone” of the office, not do the day-to-day work.

Now, I'm not one to demand an apology for every little thing. But one deputy prosecutor, who wished to remain anonymous, made a good point about the impact Manion's remarks could have on morale. 

"Victims are not cardboard boxes. The work is demanding and requires skill, experience, dedication, and compassion. With morale at an all-time low and caseloads at all-time highs, prosecutors were shocked and angered to learn of their trial work being trivialized by Leesa Manion."

Manion told staff in the email that she is "truly sorry that this was the impact on many."

You’ll never be woke enough

A few years ago, during the height of the police defunding debate, I warned moderate and liberal Democrats not to give in to unreasonable demands in a misguided effort to ingratiate themselves to the Party’s progressive wing.

My argument?

It won’t stop them from primarying you. No matter how many woke policies you blindly support – progressive candidates are still coming for your seats.

Exhibit A: The 2022 voter guide released by Seattle Pride.

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As a Seattle-based group supporting LGBTQIA+ rights, it shouldn’t be too hard for Seattle Pride to find politicians who support that mission wholeheartedly. But apparently, even the most committed LGBTQIA+ activists aren’t doing enough for the cause.

The voter guide asked legislative, judicial, county, and Congressional candidates to answer a series of questions:

  • 1. In what ways have you supported the LGBTQIA+ community?
  • 2. If (re)elected, how will you advance the rights of LGTBQIA+ individuals in your purview?
  • 3. LGBTQIA+ youth, especially transgender youth, are at increased risk for suicide, depression, bullying, and housing insecurity. How will you use your office to fight for these youth?
  • 4. LGBTQIA+ residents have disproportionately experienced homelessness and housing insecurity, which the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated, particularly for queer and trans BIPOC residents. How will you use your office to champion housing security for such residents?

The answers were then evaluated by “Seattle Pride Staff, Board Members, and/or Volunteers according to an established rubric.”

Candidates were then given a score of 0-4 “Pride Flags,” with 0 flags being the worst and 4 flags being the best. The ratings were explained as follows:

  • 4 Flags: Has already been working on projects and programs to achieve equitable outcomes for LGBTQIA+ community members, prioritizing QTBIPOC community members (as an elected official, activist, community member, professionally, etc.) Gives extensive details on policy tools needed to achieve goals. Policy tools prioritize the well-being of marginalized communities (i.e. enacting progressive taxation, community investments along with commercial development, etc.).
  • 3 Flags: Demonstrates commitment to equity in practice for LGBTQIA+ community members, prioritizing QTBIPOC community members. Gives details of policy tools needed to achieve goals.
  • 2 Flags: Demonstrates commitment to supporting legal equality for LGBTQIA+ community members. Demonstrates openness to providing supports for QTBIPOC community members. Gives few concrete example of policy tools, few details.
  • 1 Flag: Has admitted explicit anti-LGBTQIA+ or racial bias in past roles, but has stated commitment to evolving. Uses outdated and/or inadvertently offensive language in questionnaire responses. Gives no concrete examples of policy tools.
  • 0 Flags: Demonstrated explicit anti-LGBTQIA+ or racial bias in questionnaire.

Look, it’s no surprise that Seattle Pride scored the lone Republican who filled out the survey (Bryan Sandlin with 1/8th of a flag) low. Former state GOP chair tuned independent Chris Vance also scored low with one flag.

But I found it astounding that not ONE candidate received four flags – not even Laurie Jinkins, the first lesbian speaker of the Washington State House of Representatives. She has been active in advocating on behalf of the LGBTQIA+ community in our state for more than 30 years.

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But the one that really struck me was Senator Jamie Pedersen, who received a measly 2.9 flags.

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I mean, come on.

Senator Jamie Pedersen was a driving force in achieving marriage equality in Washington state. That’s not enough to at least get the man 3 full flags? Did he not write enough? Does he really need to prove his commitment to LGBTQTIA+ issues?

That’s ridiculous.

Sure, other candidates who scored higher wrote more down – but anyone can pull a Kamala Harris and turn 10 words into 1,000 if they really need to.

In fact, many Democrats received piddly ratings in the Seattle Pride guide despite obvious and extensive work to improve equality over lengthy political careers. 

Further proof that you’ll ever be considered woke enough – so just focus on being yourself and doing what you think is right. 

 

 

Hope for Heroes

[un]Divided was honored to be a business sponsor for last night’s Hope for Heroes gala, benefiting the Stronger Families Foundation. Stronger Families helps support military, veteran, and first responder families through workshops across the country.

(My late night is also why this "morning" newsletter is in fact coming to you at 12:09 in the afternoon).

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Keeping family units together is such a critical part of a healthy society – and those who serve have higher divorce rates than the rest of the population. It’s not surprising considering the day-to-day stress they endure.

On Friday’s episode, Stronger Families President and CEO Noel Meador joined us to talk about the mission.

And big THANK you to some of my friends who came along for the evening – including KIRO Radio Host Dori Monson and producer Nicole Thompson, FOX 13 Anchor Jamie Tompkins, Snohomish County Sheriff Adam Fortney and his wife, Jill, and Cory and Tammi from R&R Foundation Specialists. Oh, and John Curley is an incredible auctioneer – helping to raise more than $680,000 to help our heroes and their families!

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Housekeeping

Keep your eyes peeled on a date/time for our October live Q&A - SPECIAL ELECTION EDITION! 

Have a greet week and thank you for your commitment to give common sense a comeback!

 

 

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EXCLUSIVE: When being a social media troll comes back to bite you – hard
If you simply can’t help but poke the hornet’s nest, at least make sure your own hive is in order first.
 

 

 

This story has it all. Politics. Conservative infighting. Social media trolls. Lawsuits. A fugitive from justice. Charges of sodomy. And a side of karma, served cold.

Let’s start with the basics.

On March 26, a 24-year-old named Tyler James Crowl was arrested at his dad’s house in Lakewood, Washington, for a warrant out of Oregon. The arrest didn’t make the news in Washington, which isn’t a surprise considering the alleged crimes weren’t perpetrated in our state.

Crowl was wanted out of Yamhill County, Oregon, on three counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and three counts of Sodomy in the First Degree. Both crimes are felonies. According to court records from September 2024, prosecutors allege Crowl “unlawfully and knowingly engaged in oral sexual intercourse with a child under 12 years of age” on multiple occasions and “did unlawfully and knowingly subject a child under 14 years of age to sexual contact by touching her vaginal area and/or upper/inner thighs” on multiple occasions.

While Tyler Crowl would have been a teenager himself at the time of the alleged crimes, Oregon state law says minors under 12 years old cannot consent to oral sex. And minors under the age of 14 cannot consent to sexual intercourse.

The details of Tyler Crowl’s alleged crimes are disturbing. But the way he came to be arrested in Lakewood is the stuff movie scripts are made of.

For those who frequent the bowels of political social media in Washington state, the last name Crowl might look familiar. Eric Crowl, known by the X handle @OutragePNW, is a well-known social media troll in conservative circles. His schtick is attacking Republicans who he deems not conservative enough. In full disclosure, I’ve been a favorite target of his for my reporting on former gubernational candidate Semi Bird. Bird, a Republican, was accused of stolen valor, on top of other documented criminal cases from his past. I found the accusations credible and important enough to discuss on my show.

OutragePNW didn’t like that one bit.

His online posts became so unhinged, not to mention defamatory, I informed my local police department that I was worried for my safety. We had officers at our home a couple times to check in.

1.png?token-time=1744848000&token-hash=08A8qzwyNh1P_xGdASRiY-hEB_Fkn0epz6V44aQtwaU%3DWhile I’ve had my share of social media trolls rile their followers up into a rabid mob, Eric Crowl presented a different kind of security concern – one worth taking seriously.

In 2016, Eric Crowl, then 39-years-old, was arrested in Portland with a cache of weapons including a rifle, shotgun, camouflage, police scanner, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Police there had been investigating Crowl for months, after they “noticed him videotaping police outside the bureau's east precinct, often showing up during shift changes and leaving after hearing his name over the police scanner he carried,” according to Portland station KGW.

Crowl was arrested and charged with attempted assault of an officer and unlawful use of a weapon. 

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While out on house arrest, he was accused of violating the conditions of his release by allegedly showing up – with his wife and son in tow – to the home of a federal inspector.

“Crowl and his family were described as ‘aggressively’ staring into the inspector’s open garage and duty vehicle,” according to Portland station KOIN. The federal employee said Crowl was wearing shorts and did not have his court-mandated GPS monitor on.

“The inspector believed the Crowl’s were acting suspiciously and/or conducting surveillance on his home,” according to court documents.

Crowl was rearrested and had his bail set at $1 million. In November 2016, he agreed to a deal with prosecutors and pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of unlawful possession of a firearm in exchange for three years of probation, KOIN reported.

So, what’s the link between Eric Crowl (@OutragePNW) and alleged sodomizer turned fugitive Tyler James Crowl?

Tyler is Eric’s son.

Usually, the misdeeds of family members of social media figures wouldn’t be something I’d jump to report on (regardless of how I felt about that particular person).

But in this case, it was Crowl’s obsession with trolling his perceived political enemies that led to his son’s capture. And that’s a tale too interesting not to tell.

On March 4, Eric Crowl registered a nonprofit with the state of Washington named the Pierce County Republican Party. He immediately started a Facebook page using the name and even held live virtual events on X titled “Pierce County Republican Pary – Media Availability.”

If that sounds weird to you, it is.

There is, of course, already a Pierce County Republican Party. It’s the Pierce County branch of the State GOP and has been active in local politics since at least the 1960’s.

So why would Eric Crowl want to troll his local GOP?

The Pierce County Republican Party and its chairman, Dave McMullan, have been favorite targets of Crowl’s social media attacks. McMullan was an early and unapologetic supporter of Republican Gubernatorial candidate Dave Reichert, earning him the ire of the party’s right flank – and of diehard Semi Bird supporters like Crowl. Furthermore, the county party voted unanimously to ban Crowl from its biennial organizational meeting back in November – in part because of his conduct online.

What better way to make sure you're included than to register an imposter Pierce County Republican Party and put yourself in charge of it?

In response to Crowl’s filing, the legitimate Pierce County Republican Party made a filing of its own – in United States District Court.

On March 23, the PCRP filed a lawsuit against Crowl and his new nonprofit, accusing him of violating the Federal Trademark Act.

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The only thing left was to serve Eric Crowl with the papers at his home in Lakewood.

That job fell to Robert Parker, a local Republican who offered to help.

In advance of doing so, Parker told unDivided he thought it would be wise to see who else was living at the home. He knew of Crowl’s criminal history in Oregon and wanted to be prepared for what he might encounter.

A search of public records from the address showed a Tyler James Crowl was registered to vote there. Parker went into amateur detective mode. He put Tyler Crowl’s name into Google. Up popped a January 6, 2025, blog post from a small news outlet in Oregon. It was a list of outstanding warrants.

“Area law enforcement agencies are looking for the following people who have absconded from the law.”

On the list was “Tyler James Crowl, 23, wanted on warrants for first-degree sodomy and sexual abuse.”

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Unsure whether Tyler would be at his dad’s house, but armed with the information anyway, Parker went to serve the papers.

Sure enough, Tyler Crowl was the one to come to the door. Parker caught the whole thing on camera.

“Mr. Crowl?”

“That should be my father, but yeah, what’s this regarding?”

“That’s for him,” Parker said, handing over the notice of service in a manilla envelope.

“Ok … what’s it regarding if you don’t mind me asking?”

“It’s legal paperwork for him.”

A woman can be heard in the background saying “Tyler, don’t accept that.”

Parker leaves the documents with Tyler and walks away – only to promptly contact the Lakewood Police Department to inform them of the whereabouts of a fugitive from justice.

Within hours, Tyler Crowl was in custody and being held at the Pierce County Jail, where he is still awaiting extradition to Yamhill County, Oregon.

It is unclear whether the elder Crowl knew his son was a fugitive from justice. unDivided has reached out to prosecutors in Oregon to inquire whether they are investigating whether Eric Crowl knowingly concealed his son’s whereabouts.

A text message and email to Eric Crowl seeking comment went unanswered Tuesday. Crowl protected his X account (@OutragePNW) shortly after unDivided reached out for comment about his son’s arrest, limiting his posts to approved followers.

So, what lessons can be taken from this sordid tale?

For starters, don’t engage in sex acts with a pre-teen. That’s good advice for anyone.

Second, don’t be a social media troll. Also good advice for anyone. But if you simply can’t help but poke the hornet’s nest, at least make sure your own hive is in order first.

 

 

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