Austin-based YETI Coolers is responding to claims they have cut ties with the NRA Foundation, calling a weekend statement "inaccurate."
The NRA Foundation funds youth and educational programs.
The story broke last weekend when lobbyist Marion Hammer wrote the Texas-based outdoor outfitter broke ties with the Foundation, saying:
"Suddenly, without prior notice, YETI has declined to do business with The NRA Foundation saying they no longer wish to be an NRA vendor, and refused to say why... They will only say they will no longer sell products to The NRA Foundation. That certainly isn't sportsmanlike. In fact, YETI should be ashamed. They have declined to continue helping America's young people enjoy outdoor recreational activities."
The company released it's own statement saying they never dropped the Foundation... but instead got rid of a "group of outdated discounting programs."
The statement went on to say the offered the NRA Foundation and other organizations an "alternative customization program".
Here is the entire YETI statement:
"A few weeks ago, Yeti notified the NRA Foundation, as well as a number of other organizations, that we were eliminating a group of outdated discounting programs. When we notified the NRA Foundation and the other organizations of this change, Yeti explained that we were offering them an alternative customization program broadly available to consumers and organizations, including the NRA Foundation. These facts directly contradict the inaccurate statement the NRA-ILA distributed on April 20."
"Further, the NRA-ILA stated in that same public communication that "(YETI has) declined to continue helping America's young people enjoy outdoor recreational activities." Nothing could be further from the truth. YETI was founded more than 10 years ago with a passion for the outdoors, and over the course of our history we have actively and enthusiastically supported hunters, anglers, and the broader outdoor community. We have been devoted to and will continue to directly support causes tied to our passion for the outdoors, including by working with many organizations that promote conservation and management of wildlife resources and habitat restoration. From our website to our film footage and from our social media posts to our ambassadors, YETI has always prominently featured hunters pursuing their passions. Moreover, YETI is unwavering in our belief in commitment to the Constitution of the United States and its Second Amendment."