Summary
REI apologized for endorsing Trump interior secretary nominee Doug Burgum, citing backlash over his support for fossil fuel drilling and deregulation.
CEO Mary Beth Laughton, who took over March 31, called the endorsement “a mistake” and pledged to refocus REI on protecting public lands.
The co-op will lead a new coalition, Brands for Public Lands, to lobby for conservation.
The REI Union, which had criticized the endorsement, praised the retraction. The company also faces legal challenges over alleged anti-union practices and benefits withholding.
“We have a problem considering everyone that buys our stuff are campers that camp at these parks. We totally did not see or hear anything about this and caught completely by surprise the administration was going to do this. The “Drill baby Drill” slogan we thought he was referring to drilling for profits in OTHER people’s lands! Who are we going to sell all this crap to now?!”
The leopards have never seen such a buffet of faces to eat. Only the best buffets. The biggest. Buffets like nobody has ever seen before! Billions of faces. Ok I’ll see myself out now.