After a fundraiser was hosted by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican who supports former President Donald Trump, Patagonia has decided to stop selling its merchandise at the popular Wyoming ski resort.
Patagonia, the largest customer in the area, confirmed this week that it would be closing three Jackson Hole Mountain Resort stores. Jay Kemmerer (a co-owner of Patagonia's outdoor gear and clothing business) hosted an Aug. 5 fundraiser in support of the House Freedom Caucus. This is a group of conservative Congressmen who are closely aligned with Trump.
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Spring Creek Ranch hosted the event to benefit the House Freedom Fund, the fundraising arm of the caucus. It cost $2,000 per couple. Greene, R.Ga., Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), and Mark Meadows, former chief of staff at the White House.
WyoFile was the first to report on the news.
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The company, which supports progressive causes and environmentalism has suggested that the Jackson Hole retailer-related fundraiser was not in line with its values. Greene, Jordan, and Meadows supported Trump's false claims about election fraud and were criticised for their record on environmental issues. Residents in the area protested the event, calling for a boycott at the resort. It is one of the most popular spots within one of the most Republican States.
In a statement to The Washington Post, Corley Kenna, a Patagonia spokesperson said that Jackson Hole residents know that Patagonia makes business decisions and builds relationships that align with our values. We stand with the protesting community. We will continue to use the business we have to advocate for policies that protect the planet, support healthy communities, and strengthen democracy.
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Patagonia stated that it would reconsider its withdrawal from the resort if the owners pledged to "protect the planet".
Representatives from Greene, Jordan, and Meadows didn't immediately respond to requests for comment on Saturday morning. Kemmerer was not able to reach a resort spokesperson, so he did not respond immediately to a request for comment. Mary Kate Buckley, president at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, stated in a WyoFile statement that the resort will "continue offering world-class brands across all our retail locations with an aim to provide the highest service and product assortment to our guests."
Buckley stated, "We have been a pioneer in the ski industry in adopting measures to reduce our energy consumption and recycle the consumables used our employees and guests and treat the stunning natural habitat which surrounds our home with vision and care."
The GOP fundraiser was not mentioned in the statement.
According to the Jackson Hole News and Guide Kemmerer and Karen have donated to Republican candidates. They contributed $200,000 to Trump’s reelection campaign over recent years. According to records, they have donated more than $100,000 since February to conservative political action committees as well as candidates like Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), who took over from Liz Cheney, a vocal Trump critic and was chair of the House Republican Conference.
Dan Brophy, co-hosting the fundraiser along with the Kemmerers told the News and Guide they supported Greene and the other House Freedom Caucus members because they were "principled and follow through with their campaign promises."
Brophy told the newspaper that Republicans who campaigned for platforms they supported and then voted against them immediately after entering office, he said.
Greene was invited to the meeting days after she was part of a group right-wing Republicans who protested at a Washington D.C. prison asking for an inspection of the treatment of detained people in connection to the Jan. 6 Capitol break. Some Trump supporters consider them martyrs. After falsely tweeting that coronavirus vaccines were failing, Greene was suspended again from Twitter.
Nearby Teton Village is home to the resort, which according to its website has received an average of 459 inches of snow per year over the past five seasons. It's also located in one of two Wyoming counties that favored President Joe Biden over Donald Trump last year. Trump won the state easily with 70% of the vote.
This was the topic that was trending on Twitter Saturday morning. Democratic lawmakers such as Rep. Steve Cohen from Tennessee celebrated the occasion, declaring that he would "buy a Patagonia jacket for Fall." Mary Trump, the ex-president's niece, was vocally critical of the company and also applauded it: "Ways to walk the talk, Patagonia."
Residents were alerted to the GOP fundraiser by protesters who gathered at the resort with signs reading, "Hey JHMR! Your Greene washing is showing" as well as, "JHMR Passes fund treason?" Marisa Sullivan (35), told News and Guide that she no longer buys passes to the resort due to "the things they support."
She said, "If you're going give people that much money, I don’t want it going to things such as this." "This seems absurd to me."
Jorge Colon (73 years old) is a protester who worked in the ski industry for many decades. He told WyoFile that his hope was to trade in a season pass he had purchased.
Colon stated, "It's just shame it's got to this point." I know they provide a lot of work, but to be supporting that group is a shame. . . It's quite embarrassing."
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