Salt & Straw Yanks Its Ice Cream From Provenance Hotels, the Chain Founded by Gordon Sondland

The decision comes one day after a congressman called for a boycott.

A customers buys an ice cream "tasting flight" at the Salt & Straw location on 23rd Avenue in Portland. (Natalie Behring)

Portland ice cream company Salt & Straw today pulled its products from Provenance Hotels, the Portland-based chain founded by embattled U.S. Ambassador Gordon Sondland.

"After much consideration, we have made a decision to end our wholesale business with Provenance Hotels," Salt & Straw said in a statement provided to WW. "We are very thoughtful with our relationships and, after seven years, have determined it is best to go in a different direction."

Oregon Public Broadcasting first reported Salt & Straw's decision. OPB noted that Salt & Straw provided products to Provenance hotels like the Dossier, where guests could order artisanal ice cream via room service.

Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, is at the center of an impeachment inquiry into whether President Donald Trump asked Ukrainian officials to investigate his political opponent, Joe Biden. Sondland was scheduled to testify to Congress on Tuesday morning, but the White House blocked his appearance.

On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Earl Bluenanauer called for a boycott of Provenance Hotels, because of its link to Sondland. (Sondland stepped down as CEO when Trump appointed him as an ambassador.)

Related: Eleven things you may not know about Gordon Sondland.

Jim McDermott, a Portland attorney who represents Sondland, decried the boycott call. "Congressman Blumenauer's irresponsible attempt to hurt a homegrown business that supports hundreds of jobs in our local economy is just shameful and ought to outrage all Oregonians," McDermott said Wednesday evening.

It's unclear whether Salt & Straw made the decision to cut ties with Salt & Straw before or after Blumenauer's call for a boycott.

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