The outdoor clothing retailer Patagonia cut business ties with a Wyoming ski resort last week after the resort’s owner hosted a fundraiser for the House Freedom Caucus.
Patagonia said last week that it would no longer sell products to the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort after one of its owners, Jay Kemmerer, hosted a fundraiser attended by current and former members of the House Freedom Caucus. GOP Reps. Jim Jordan (OH), and Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA) headlined the event along with Mark Meadows, former White House chief of staff under former President Donald Trump.
“Our really strong commitment to using both our business and our brand to advocate for our strong priorities” motivated the decision to cut ties, Patagonia’s head of communications and police Corley Kenna told WyoFile. “When there’s a misalignment on that, then we take action.”
Kenna later added to The Hill: “Those that know us in Jackson Hole are aware that we make business decisions and build relationships in alignment with our values and advocacy efforts. Just over a year ago, we stopped advertising on Facebook and Instagram over a year ago as part of our commitment to stop the spread of hate speech and misinformation on climate.”
“We join with the local community that is using its voice in protest,” she added. “We will continue to use our business to advocate for policies to protect our planet, support thriving communities and a strong democracy.”
Patagonia has blended activism into its business, pledging millions of dollars to environmental, social justice, and other left-wing causes. The outdoor retailer has also wielded its business influence in attempted to force other companies to take on more activist roles, as well.
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort President Mary Kate Buckley said that the resort is committed to “green” causes. She also touted that the resort is completely powered by wind energy.
“JHMR retail will continue to offer world-class brands across our retail locations with the aim to provide the best service and product assortment for our guests,” Buckley told WyoFile in a statement. “We have been a leader in the ski industry in adopting initiatives to reduce our energy consumption, recycle the consumables used by our employees and guests, and treat the spectacular natural habitat which surrounds us with vision and care.
“We are proud to be the largest mountain resort operating on 100% wind today,” she continued. “We will remain focused on operating a world-class mountain resort and protecting the health and safety of our guests and employees.”
Last year, Patagonia partnered with two other outdoor retailers, REI and The North Face, to boycott advertising on Facebook over the “hateful lies and dangerous propaganda” that spread on the platform. Prior to the announcement, however, the companies’ spending on Facebook had already declined significantly over a period of months. As The Daily Wire reported at the time:
The companies that were first to boycott Facebook and denounce the company most vocally for supposedly not doing enough to curb “hate speech” had already dramatically dialed back ad buys before doing so.
REI, The North Face, and Patagonia experienced a steep decline in ad buying on Facebook even before they withdrew from the platform in a supposed attempt to combat its alleged allowance of “hateful lies and dangerous propaganda,” according to data obtained by The Daily Wire via Pathmatics.