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Trump Tweet Puts L.L. Bean Back in Political Crossfire Trump Tweet Puts L.L. Bean Back in Political Crossfire
(35 minutes later)
L.L. Bean, the Maine retailer known for its boots, jackets and preppy New England aesthetic, has found itself embroiled in a partisan battle that Donald J. Trump reignited on Thursday with a tweet. L.L. Bean, the Maine retailer known for its boots, jackets and preppy New England aesthetic, has become embroiled in a partisan battle that Donald J. Trump reignited on Thursday with a tweet.
Faced with a boycott over a Bean family member’s contribution to Mr. Trump’s presidential campaign, Shawn Gorman, L.L. Bean’s executive chairman, declared four days ago that “we stay out of politics.” Faced with calls for a boycott over a Bean family member’s contribution to a political action committee supporting Mr. Trump’s presidential campaign, Shawn Gorman, L.L. Bean’s executive chairman, declared four days ago that “we stay out of politics.”
But then Mr. Trump offered a rare, full-throated product endorsement of the company on Thursday: But then Mr. Trump offered a full-throated endorsement of the company on Thursday, breaching a long tradition of American leaders (or a president-elect) shying away from endorsing specific products:
His tweet appeared to be responding to the thousands of dollars in donations that Linda Bean, who is a granddaughter of the company’s founder, offered during his presidential campaign. The donations turned out to be illegal. His tweet appeared to be responding to the thousands of dollars in donations that Linda Bean, who is a granddaughter of the company’s founder, offered to the PAC during his presidential campaign. The donations turned out to be illegal.
Mr. Trump’s tweet, which links to an account for Ms. Bean’s lobster business in Maine, was an overt endorsement urging Americans to buy L.L. Bean products — and it immediately put the company in the political cross hairs. Mr. Trump’s tweet, which links to an account for Ms. Bean’s lobster business in Maine and urges Americans to buy its products, immediately put the company in the political cross hairs.
(The sneaker company New Balance found itself in a similar position in November, when Matt LeBretton, the company’s vice president for communications, told The Wall Street Journal after Mr. Trump clinched the nomination that “we feel things are going to move in the right direction,” spurring a backlash from consumers who vowed to burn their sneakers.)(The sneaker company New Balance found itself in a similar position in November, when Matt LeBretton, the company’s vice president for communications, told The Wall Street Journal after Mr. Trump clinched the nomination that “we feel things are going to move in the right direction,” spurring a backlash from consumers who vowed to burn their sneakers.)
After Ms. Bean’s donations came to light last week, Grab Your Wallet, a group that calls for boycotts against companies that it says support Mr. Trump, added L.L. Bean to its list of targets.After Ms. Bean’s donations came to light last week, Grab Your Wallet, a group that calls for boycotts against companies that it says support Mr. Trump, added L.L. Bean to its list of targets.
Mr. Gorman responded by saying that the company does not endorse political candidates, make political contributions or support any political agenda, and he described Ms. Bean’s contributions as her personal decision. Mr. Gorman responded by saying that the company does not endorse political candidates, make political contributions or support any political agenda, and he described Ms. Bean’s contributions as her personal decision. (Mr. Gorman himself donated $1,000 to Marco Rubio last year, and he has given to Carly Fiorina, the Republican National Committee and Senator Susan Collins.)
“We fully acknowledge and respect that some may disagree with the political views of a single member of our 10-person board of directors,” he said in a statement, which was posted on Facebook. “We fully acknowledge and respect that some may disagree with the political views of a single member of our 10-person board of directors,” Mr. Gorman said in the statement posted on Facebook.
“Like most large families, the more than 50 family member-owners of the business hold views and embrace causes across the political spectrum, just as our employees and customers do. And as every member of the family would agree, no individual alone speaks on behalf of the business or represents the values of the company that L.L. built.”“Like most large families, the more than 50 family member-owners of the business hold views and embrace causes across the political spectrum, just as our employees and customers do. And as every member of the family would agree, no individual alone speaks on behalf of the business or represents the values of the company that L.L. built.”
Ms. Bean has long been an outspoken conservative, and L.L. Bean has encountered pushback over her political activities in the past. She ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1988 and 1992. The company wrote a letter to The Times distancing itself from her. She was also the source of a boycott against the company by members of the gay community. Ms. Bean has long been an outspoken conservative, and L.L. Bean has faced pushback over her political activities. She ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1988 and 1992, and the company wrote a letter to The Times distancing itself from her.
Ms. Bean mounted a defense for her donations in an appearance on “Fox & Friends” that was broadcast on Thursday. She called the Grab Your Wallet organizers “bullies.” In 1993, a group of gay activists in Philadelphia, angered by what they said was her support of “right-wing causes and homophobes” during her 1992 campaign, began a boycott. A spokesman for L.L. Bean told The Boston Globe that some customers had asked to be taken off the company’s mailing lists.
“If I feel I’m right, and I do feel that, they’re bullies. That’s all they are,” she said. Ms. Bean defended the company and her donations in an appearance on “Fox & Friends” that was broadcast on Thursday. She called the Grab Your Wallet organizers “bullies.”
Between August and October, Ms. Bean donated $30,000 to a political action committee, originally known as Making America Great Again LLC, which backed the Republican candidate, according to Federal Election Commission reports. “I never back down. If I feel I’m right, and I do feel that, they’re bullies. That’s all they are,” she said.
Between August and October, Ms. Bean donated $30,000 to a political action committee, originally known as Making America Great Again LLC, which backed Mr. Trump, the Republican candidate, according to Federal Election Commission reports.
The group appears to have presented itself as a “super PAC,” an organization that under federal law can accept unlimited donations from any person or business, and it ran ads in Maine, where L.L. Bean is based, attacking Hillary Clinton, Mr. Trump’s Democratic rival.The group appears to have presented itself as a “super PAC,” an organization that under federal law can accept unlimited donations from any person or business, and it ran ads in Maine, where L.L. Bean is based, attacking Hillary Clinton, Mr. Trump’s Democratic rival.
In fact, the group had actually registered as a traditional political action committee — for which contributions are capped at $5,000 — and that made Ms. Bean’s contributions illegal. This month, the Federal Election Commission wrote to the PAC’s treasurer asking for an explanation of the excessive contributions.In fact, the group had actually registered as a traditional political action committee — for which contributions are capped at $5,000 — and that made Ms. Bean’s contributions illegal. This month, the Federal Election Commission wrote to the PAC’s treasurer asking for an explanation of the excessive contributions.
This week, the group filed paperwork changing its name to Making Maine Great Again, while claiming that some of the contributions originally attributed to Ms. Bean actually came from her sister, Diana Bean. The group also told the F.E.C. that it should be registered as a super PAC. The group filed paperwork this week changing its name to Making Maine Great Again, while claiming that some of the contributions originally attributed to Ms. Bean actually came from her sister, Diana Bean. The group also told the F.E.C. that it should be registered as a super PAC.
Federal law prohibits employees of the government’s executive branch from endorsing products, but the rule does not apply to the president or the president-elect.Federal law prohibits employees of the government’s executive branch from endorsing products, but the rule does not apply to the president or the president-elect.
It’s unavoidable that American leaders would have personal preferences for products — President Obama famously loved his BlackBerry — but publicly suggesting that Americans buy them is highly unusual, said Michael Beschloss, a presidential historian.It’s unavoidable that American leaders would have personal preferences for products — President Obama famously loved his BlackBerry — but publicly suggesting that Americans buy them is highly unusual, said Michael Beschloss, a presidential historian.
“It’s rare, if ever, that presidents do this,” he said. “In general, presidents who have a sense of limited presidential power do not want to extend that power to the point of suggesting to Americans which products to buy.”“It’s rare, if ever, that presidents do this,” he said. “In general, presidents who have a sense of limited presidential power do not want to extend that power to the point of suggesting to Americans which products to buy.”
What remains to be seen is whether Mr. Trump’s endorsement was a spur-of-the-moment, one-time thank-you to a supporter, or whether he would continue to affect companies’ fortunes based on the support of its executives.What remains to be seen is whether Mr. Trump’s endorsement was a spur-of-the-moment, one-time thank-you to a supporter, or whether he would continue to affect companies’ fortunes based on the support of its executives.
The president-elect has also, of course, expressed his ire at companies, which have had to gird themselves for unexpected criticism. In August 2015, Mr. Trump said he hoped to “put H & R Block out of business” by simplifying the tax code, and he has publicly called out Boeing, Lockheed Martin and countless media companies. Mr. Trump has never shied away from promoting products, but this appeared to be the first time he had done so as the incoming president.
The president-elect has also, of course, expressed his ire at companies, which have had to gird themselves for unexpected criticism. In August 2015, Mr. Trump said he hoped to “put H & R Block out of business” by simplifying the tax code, and he has directed publicly called out Boeing, Lockheed Martin and countless media companies.