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Trump Tweet Puts L.L. Bean Back in Political Crossfire Trump Tweet Puts L.L. Bean Back in Political Crossfire
(about 1 hour later)
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. With a single tweet on Thursday, President-elect Donald J. Trump pulled L.L. Bean, the Maine retailer known for its boots, jackets and preppy New England aesthetic, back into a bitter political crossfire.
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.” The company was already facing a boycott from liberal customers after reports that Linda Bean, a granddaughter of the company’s founder, had donated thousands of dollars to a political action committee that supported Mr. Trump’s presidential campaign. The donations turned out to be illegal.
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 advertising specific products. These are perilous times for brands, with partisans on both sides threatening boycotts. Grab Your Wallet, a group that opposes Mr. Trump, added L.L. Bean to its list. Company executives pleaded with the critics to reconsider. Shawn Gorman, L.L. Bean’s executive chairman, declared four days ago that “we stay out of politics.”
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. But then Mr. Trump, who has long had a penchant for promoting his favorite brands, offered a full-throated endorsement of the company on Thursday, a rare and highly unusual step for someone elected to the nation’s highest office.
Mr. Trump’s tweet, which links to an account for Ms. Bean’s lobster business in Maine but urges Americans to buy L.L. Bean products, immediately put the company in the political cross hairs. Some social media users called the endorsement inappropriate, and others vowed to get rid of their L.L. Bean gear.
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.
Hope Hicks, a spokeswoman for Mr. Trump, said in an email on Thursday about Ms. Bean, “Mr. Trump was merely thanking her for her support.”Hope Hicks, a spokeswoman for Mr. Trump, said in an email on Thursday about Ms. Bean, “Mr. Trump was merely thanking her for her support.”
Mr. Gorman responded to the boycott by saying that L.L. Bean 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.) The tweet, which links to an account for Ms. Bean’s lobster business in Maine but urges Americans to buy L.L. Bean products, immediately put the company in the political cross hairs. Some social media users called the endorsement inappropriate, and others vowed to get rid of their L.L. Bean gear.
Mr. Gorman had responded to the recent calls for a boycott by saying that L.L. Bean 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,” Mr. Gorman said in the statement 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 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. This is not the first time L.L. Bean has faced pushback over the political activities of Ms. Bean, an heir to the company who has long been an outspoken conservative. She ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1988 and 1992, and the company wrote a letter to The Times distancing itself from her.
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.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.
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.”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.”
“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.“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.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.
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.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. The bitter partisan divide could continue to pose problems for businesses during the Trump era. As a businessman and celebrity, Mr. Trump has never hesitated to promote his favored products and companies. But doing so from the Oval Office, even informally, could lead to complications for him and for the businesses.
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. Ronald Reagan ate Jelly Belly jelly beans by the handful, and President Obama famously loved his BlackBerry.
But publicly suggesting that Americans should shop at a particular retailer 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. 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.
The sneaker company New Balance found itself in the cross hairs in November, when Matt LeBretton, the company’s vice president for communications, told The Wall Street Journal after Mr. Trump won the election that “we feel things are going to move in the right direction,” spurring a backlash from consumers who vowed to burn their sneakers. What remains to be seen is whether this was a spur of the moment, one-time thank-you tweet, or whether he would continue to affect companies’ fortunes based on their political support.
Though Mr. Trump has never shied away from promoting products, this appeared to be the first time he had done so as the incoming president. The sneaker company New Balance found itself in a similar position to L.L. Bean in November, when Matt LeBretton, the company’s vice president for communications, told The Wall Street Journal after Mr. Trump won the election that “we feel things are going to move in the right direction.” That spurred a backlash from supporters of Hillary Clinton who vowed to burn their sneakers.
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 Carrier, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and countless media companies. The president-elect has also 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 feuded with Macy’s over its decision to stop selling his branded ties.
He has also publicly called out Carrier, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, as well as countless media companies.