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Disney Sues Florida Gov Ron DeSantis; Claim He “Took Over” Theme Park District
Edited by: Fern Sidman
It appears that the ongoing feud between the Disney Corporation and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has reached a new level of acrimony. The AP reported on Wednesday that Disney has filed a lawsuit against DeSantis over what they perceive as his takeover of its theme park district in Orlando. Disney also alleges that the Republican governor with presidential aspirations waged a “targeted campaign of government retaliation” after the company opposed a law critics call “Don’t Say Gay,” the AP said on Wednesday.
The lawsuit was filed in Tallahassee minutes after a Disney World oversight board appointed by DeSantis voted to void a deal that gave the company authority over design and construction decisions in its sprawling properties near Orlando, according to the AP report.
“Disney regrets that it has come to this,” the case said. “But having exhausted efforts to seek a resolution, the Company is left with no choice but to file this lawsuit to protect its cast members, guests, and local development partners from a relentless campaign to weaponize government power against Disney in retaliation for expressing a political viewpoint unpopular with certain State officials.”
The legal filing is the latest salvo in a more than year-old feud between Disney and DeSantis, the AP reported.
The battle in the Sunshine State has also resulted in Disney becoming embroiled in controversy over its policies concerning exposing children to transgendered characters. As a result, Disney has received negative pushback from theme park visitors and business at Disney World has suffered.
DeSantis, who has framed himself as a Republican firebrand able to deftly implement his conservative agenda without drama, has dived headlong into the fray with Disney, as business leaders and White House rivals have strongly critiqued his stance and labeled it as a rejection of the small-government tenets of conservatism, the AP reported.
“We are unaware of any legal right that a company has to operate its own government or maintain special privileges not held by other businesses in the state,” said DeSantis spokeswoman Taryn Fenske, as was reported by the AP. “This lawsuit is yet another unfortunate example of their hope to undermine the will of the Florida voters and operate outside the bounds of the law.”
The fight began last year after Disney, in the face of significant pressure, publicly opposed a state law that bans classroom lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades, a policy critics call “Don’t Say Gay,” the AP reported. DeSantis vehemently denies that he is anti-gay and claims that the state law was proposed to protect very young children from subject matter that can have deleterious effects on them.
Disney is of the belief that because of its opposition to the state law, DeSantis is behaving in a vindictive manner by attempting to take over Disney World’s self-governing district. The Florida governor appointed a new board of supervisors that would oversee municipal services in the sprawling theme parks, the AP reported. But before the new board came in, the company pushed though an 11th-hour agreement that stripped the new supervisors of much of their authority.
DeSantis is scheduled to travel to Israel on Thursday, April 27th where he will deliver the keynote address at an event to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the modern state of Israel. While in Israel, DeSantis and his delegation will meet with government leaders and Israeli companies that have invested or are interested in investing in Florida, including INSIGHTEC. INSIGHTEC is an Israeli company that has partnered with a consortium of Florida universities to use their innovative technologies to study Alzheimer’s disease.
Bilateral trade between Florida and Israel reached $651 million in 2022, demonstrating the growing partnership between the two countries. Over the past five years, bilateral merchandise trade has grown by 65%, and over the last ten years, bilateral trade has grown 176.1% between Florida and Israel. Israel is the 19th largest foreign investor in the state of Florida, with Israeli affiliates estimated to have total holdings of $647 million. There are more than 50 Israeli companies supporting more than 2,400 jobs in Florida. Florida has one non-stop flight from Miami International Airport to Tel Aviv which helps to support business relationships and promote tourism.
“Florida has the 15th largest economy in the world, and that is because our state has worked to create partnerships with other countries to create jobs and boost the economy,” said DeSantis. “This trade mission will give us the opportunity to strengthen economic relationships and continue to demonstrate Florida’s position as an economic leader.”
While in Israel, the country’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has said that he has plans to meet with DeSantis during an interview on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” that took place on Sunday.
When asked by CBS whether he would meet with DeSantis, Netanyahu replied: “Of course, I’ll meet with everyone. Why not? I’ll meet with Republican governors and Democratic governors.”
In addition to Israel, DeSantis is also traveling abroad to Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom on the international trade mission.
The visit to Israel coincides with protests over Netanyahu’s plans to tighten controls on the country’s Supreme Court, Reuters reported.
DeSantis had previously met with Netanyahu during a visit to Jerusalem in 2019, calling Florida “the most pro-Israel state in the nation.”
“At a time of unnecessarily strained relations between Jerusalem and Washington, Florida serves as a bridge between the American and Israeli people,” DeSantis is quoted in a press release announcing his visit, as was reported by the AP at the end of March.
Netanyahu’s plans for judicial reform were paused last month after strikes and mass demonstrations, Reuters reported. When asked on CBS why he would not withdraw the planned reforms, Netanyahu said there was a “broad consensus” to fix the Israeli judicial system. “I’ve actually said that I will not accept a blanket ability of the parliament to overcome judicial Supreme Court decisions, just as we don’t accept that the Supreme Court can abrogate any decision by the parliament or the government,” he said.
Israeli media have reported that the U.S. was withholding an invitation of a formal White House visit as a sign of displeasure with Netanyahu and his new far-right government, according to an AP report of March 28th. The U.S. ambassador, Tom Nides, said in a radio interview that the White House would soon invite Netanyahu to visit.
The Jerusalem Post has said that DeSantis’ April 27th visit is “part of a larger Florida/Asian trade delegation.” The AP also reported that DeSantis said that as a congressman in 2017, he scouted out sites to relocate the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem to press the Trump administration to deliver on his promise.
