L.L. Bean ‘Rebel’ Linda Bean Says Anti-Trump Boycott Could Kill Jobs

Linda Bean, granddaughter of L.L. Bean’s founder, on Friday said anti-Trump boycotts are part of a larger plan—to kill jobs.

“It’s the bullies who want to go after, basically, our jobs,” she told the FOX Business Network’s Stuart Varney. “I believe it’s just a smokescreen because the effect of a boycott is to kill jobs – boycotts and bullies kill jobs.”

Grabyourwallet.org recently called for a boycott of L.L. Bean (and 38 other stores including Walmart, Macy’s and Bloomingdales), because Bean contributed $60,000 to a political action committee supporting President-elect Donald Trump. The Federal Election Commission said the donation exceeded the PAC’s individual donor limit of $5,000.

But Bean says the company shouldn’t take heat for her political affiliations.

“It was not the company donation. It was my personal donation and the company itself stays politically neutral,” she said. She noted that L.L. Bean has a “no endorsing” candidate policy.

The president elect thanked Linda for her support in a Tweet on Thursday.

When asked if she would do it again, Bean said: “Absolutely, I look at it as an opportunity.”

She added, “Every one of these setbacks gives you an opportunity to say how great America is. How great it is to be free to vote for your own candidate and set the record straight.”

Bean also discussed what it’s like to be a conservative in the business world.

“You know there are not many people who are in the upper-echelons of business—private enterprise, who are Trump supporters,” said FBN’s Varney. “That is an elite group and the elites largely are for the left. Am I right there?”

“Well it’s a strange paradox because look at what’s happened [with] the stock market,” she replied. “Those are the guys that are probably right there. Are they saying one thing and putting their money in another place?”

“But you are an exception,” Varney responded. “Most people in the executive suite, I think, I’m told are for the left, not specifically [and] desperately for Donald Trump. You’re an exception to the rule.”

“I’ve always been maybe a little bit of a rebel,” answered Bean.