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Target to Lady Gaga: Surprised, Disappointed

Retail giant fires back at music superstar's abrupt decision to end recently launched exclusive deal

By Marc Malkin Mar 10, 2011 1:30 AMTags
Lady GagaNick Laham/Getty Images

Target hasn't exactly told Lady Gaga to stick her disco stick where the sun don't shine, but the retail giant is finally commenting on the music superstar's decision to walk away from an exclusive partnership she recently launched with the company.

It was revealed yesterday that Gaga ended a deal with Target to sell her new album Born This Way because she's reportedly not pleased with how they make their political contributions and how such decisions impact the gay community.

A rep for Gaga confirmed they're no longer in business, calling the decision "mutual."

However…

Target isn't happy with how things have played out.

"We were very surprised and disappointed by the statements made by Lady Gaga's organization related to her partnership with Target," the company said in statement released this afternoon.  "Target remains committed to the LGBT community as demonstrated by our contributions to various LGBT organizations, our recently established Policy Committee to review our political giving and our respectful, inclusive workplace environment."

Target came under fire last year for contributing to a political action committee that supported Tom Emmer, an antigay politician who ran for governor of Minnesota.

Gaga had said she signed the deal with Target after she was assured by company executives that it would change its policies on political donations and further its relationships with gay charities.

While a Target spokesperson outlined several new gay initiatives in an interview with Billboard magazine last month, it apparently wasn't enough for Gaga.

A rep for Gaga did not immediately comment for this story.