Why People Are Boycotting LL Bean Over Donald Trump
Twitter is ablaze with calls to boycott LL Bean after the company's heiress and board member Linda Bean was revealed to be a Trump donor and supporter.
"Just one more reason NOT to buy overpriced LL Bean," said @darandper. "LL Bean: official winter clothing of the New Reich," commented @aerojad. So how did we arrive at this intersection of Northeastern fashion and twitter firestorm? Here's what you need to know.
Bean Created A Pro-Trump PAC That's Now Under Investigation
The story begins with Linda Bean's Making America Great Again LLC PAC, which allegedly was in violation of FEC rules thanks to personal donations from Bean herself.
The committee, Making America Great Again LLC, was notified Wednesday by the FEC that it had exceeded individual contribution limits, including three separate donations totaling $60,000 by Bean herself. Additionally, the FEC letter said the PAC had failed to file on time for several independent expenditures for ads and communications supporting Trump and opposing Hillary Clinton.
Trump Won Enough Support In Bean's District To Affect The Electoral Vote Count
Trump won enough support in the 2nd Congressional District to split Maine's electoral votes, taking one vote to Democrat Hillary Clinton's three.
Soon After, Grab Your Wallet, A Trump Boycott Group, Called For A Boycott On L.L. Bean
Grab Your Wallet, an organization dedicated to leading boycotts against companies that support President-elect Donald Trump or are affiliated with his family, called for a boycott of Maine-based sportswear company L.L. Bean.
[Mediaite]
LL Bean Responded With A Length Facebook Post About Its Political Neutrality
In a post arguing against the boycott, L.L. Bean stated that it is apolitical:
L.L.Bean does not endorse political candidates, take positions on political matters, or make political contributions. Simply put, we stay out of politics. To be included in this boycott campaign is simply misguided, and we respectfully request that Grab Your Wallet reverse its position.
[Facebook]
The Boycott's Leader Replied With A Promise To Drop It If Linda Bean Is Removed From The Company's Board
"As fans of L.L. Bean's products, everybody is hoping that the company is really seriously evaluating whether or not Linda Bean's presence and contributions to the company are worth the damage she continues to inflict on L.L. Bean's brand and reputation," co-founder Shannon Coulter tells Maine Public, adding, "It's really not about politics. It's about common decency and respect."
Thursday Morning, Bean Went On 'Fox & Friends' To Call The Boycott Attempt 'Bullying'
After The Segment, Trump Weighed In
Shortly after the Fox segment, Donald Trump tweeted his support of Linda Bean, urging readers to buy L.L. Bean.
Maybe save that boot purchase until it becomes less politically loaded.
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