The organizer who called for a boycott of Freeport retail giant L.L. Bean said she would have to consult with advisers before removing the gear provider from Grab Your Wallet’s list of companies targeted for action because of perceived support for Donald Trump.

Shannon Coulter, co-founder of the grassroots political group, said removing Linda Bean from L.L. Bean’s board of directors might not be enough to remove the company from its boycott list. The granddaughter of founder Leon Leonwood Bean, Bean is one of 10 members of the retailer’s board and drew the ire of Grab Your Wallet by donating $60,000 to the president-elect’s campaign.

“Given L.L. Bean’s strong role as an employer in Maine, its support of many worthy causes, and its obvious desire to distance itself from this lone supporter of divisive candidates and causes, my position would be that the company’s removal of Linda from the board would be a strong enough sign that it, as a company, is truly committed to an inclusive and respectful society,” said Coulter in an email response to questions from the Press Herald. “If Linda’s removal from the board were to go forward, I would most likely remove L.L. Bean from the boycott list.

“I say ‘most likely’ because I do typically put things to a group discussion before making a final call and Linda is part-owner of L.L. Bean, so that would most likely be a part of the discussion. I would emphasize to the group that her part-ownership is part of a longstanding family legacy and that the current company leadership may be limited as to how much they can separate from her.”

Carolyn Beem, spokeswoman for L.L. Bean said the company was declining further comment.

“We have spoken to our customers, which is what mattered most to us,” she said.

Executive Chairman Shawn Gorman posted on the company’s Facebook page Sunday night that he was “deeply troubled” by the portrayal of the company and called the boycott campaign by Grab Your Wallet “misguided.” He said L.L. Bean does not endorse political candidates, take positions on political matters or make political contributions.

“We fully acknowledge and respect that some may disagree with the political views of a single member of our 10-person board of directors,” Gorman wrote. “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 (Leon Leonwood Bean) built.”

It’s unclear whether the week-long boycott is having an impact. Grab Your Wallet has about 30,000 Twitter followers and 7,700 people on Facebook. It encourages people to reach out directly to targeted companies and provides sample language to convey intent to boycott because of pro-Trump actions or connections. It does not track those responses, but notes when a company severs ties with Trump products or services.


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