Shoe company New Balance finds itself trying to wiggle out of the hot seat Presidential candidate Mitt Romney's anti-gay views have put the company in.
Mitt Romney recently signed National Organization for Marriage's presidential pledge that called on GOP candidates to make take on four causes:
- Work to get a minimum of 38 States to ratify an amendment to the Constitution banning same-sex marriage.
- Make opposition to same-sex marriage a judicial litmus test for nominees.
- Order the DOJ to resume defending the Defense of Marriage Act in Court challenges.
- "Establish a presidential commission on 'religious liberty'" whose aim appears to be keeping "gay bullies" from challenging their opponents.
- Rescind marriage equality in Washington, DC.
Word subsequently got around that the Chairman of New Balance Shoes was a major donor to the mysterious SuperPac that supported Romney's campaign. The Chairman gave $500,000, in fact. A Change.org petition appeared and asked New Balance to stop supporting anti-gay politicians, the petition read:
New Balance's Chairman, James Davis, is one of the largest funders of GOP Presidential politics, including a major donation to Mitt Romney, who just signed a hateful and divisive anti-gay pledge. This pledge would ban same-sex marriage in the United States, and write discrimination into the U.S. Constitution.
Tell New Balance that their Chairman, the public face of their company, should not be supporting politicians who want to enshrine discrimination against LGBT Americans into law. It reflects badly on the company, and suggests that New Balance has little respect for their gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender customers.
New Balance quickly sprung into damage control mode, releasing a letter attempting to distance the company from their Chairman's political donations.
The message as Queerty puts it is New Balance: “Please Don’t Hate Us Because Our Chairman Gave $500K To Mitt Romney.”
The statement is here:
A letter from our CEO:
Dear New Balance associates, customers and consumers:
Earlier this year, a private donation was made by our Chairman to a political action committee that is affiliated with Mitt Romney. First, let me be clear that this was a private donation and not a contribution from New Balance. We encourage civic engagement at all levels and will always respect the right of any of our associates to engage in the political process as they see fit. We typically do not comment on private political donations; however, this situation is different.
Mr. Romney recently signed a pledge that challenges same sex marriage and that has offended many including those in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. Mr. Romney’s position on this issue is not reflective of Jim Davis’, my or New Balance’s position and support of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered community. As a company, New Balance embraces the differences in all people and we work tirelessly to create and sustain an environment where everyone – our associates, consumers, customers and guests – are treated with dignity and respect.
Sincerely,
Rob DeMartini
President/CEO
Well, fair enough. Mitt Romney's hostility to the LGBT community may not be reflective of New Balance's or Davis'. It is unfortunate Davis has chosen to support a candidate with which he disagrees on civil rights issues.
I think it's perfectly fair for James Davis to donate his money as he sees fits.
And it's perfectly fair that those donations should be public record.
But it's also fair to say there may be consequences for the face of a big public company to make huge donations to political candidates and causes that will turn off large numbers of consumers.
And it's worth noting James Davis also listed in Boston magazine as one of the 50 wealthiest Bostonians, ranked #8 with a net worth of $1.6B.
So, it would behoove LGBT consumers and their allies to consider next time they go to purchase a pair of shoes if it is in their best interests to make James Davis even more wealthy than he already is and consider how Chairman Davis intends to spend the money that New Balance lavishes on him.
Presidential candidates might also consider if signing these pledges is good for business if your donors' employers are having to do damage control over them.
Update: gchaucer2 makes a excellent point that boycotting New Balance does strike a blow to the American manufacturing base, definitely NOT a goal of mine. I don't think there are easy answers however. A company like New Balance can pay an executive to have an outsized "free speech" in the political process post-Citizens United, and there is little the proletariat can do to off-set this.
For the record, I didn't personally call for a boycott, but I did encourage people to consider what is in their best interests and always be as conscientious a consumer as possible. An unchecked corporate America meddling in politics is a nightmare. I do think public shaming is about the only tool we have in the box right now.