Patagonia founder invited to testify to Congress over Trump spat
Nearly two weeks after the outdoor apparel and gear retailer Patagonia publicly denounced President Trump‘s decision to reduce the size of the Bears Ears monument, Congress has called for the company’s chief executive to present its case before the nation’s lawmakers.
Rob Bishop, the Republican congressman representing Utah who is serving as the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, delivered a letter to Patagonia’s CEO and founder, Yvon Chouinard, inviting him to testify before Congress.
“It is apparent through multiple media accounts and appearances that you have strong feelings on this topic as well,” the letter reads. “The Committee believes that major public policy decisions involving millions of acres of public land should be discussed, debated, and considered in the light of day.”
On Dec. 4, Patagonia changed its site homepage to proclaim, “The President Stole Your Land. In an illegal move, the president just reduced the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments. This is the largest elimination of protected land in American history.” While some shoppers threatened they’d stop giving business to the retailer, sales actually spiked in the weeks following the announcement (hardly surprising, considering the general ineffectiveness of consumer boycotts related to the Trump administration.)
“We first learned of this invitation through press reports,” says Corley Kenna, a Patagonia spokesperson, in a statement to Yahoo Lifestyle. “We are reviewing the invitation now and will get back to the committee as soon as we are able.”
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