JERUSALEM — Associated Press is reporting that Gov. Ron DeSantis is calling Disney’s lawsuit against him politically motivated and that it’s time for the company to stop enjoying exclusive treatment in Florida.
Disney sued DeSantis on Wednesday for creating a board if supervisors in its self-governing entertainment district. Disney is claiming Florida’s governor is pushing a “targeted campaign of government retaliation” after the company openly opposed the law critics call “Don’t Say Gay.” The lawsuit is the latest move in a year-old feud between Disney and DeSantis.
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“They’re upset because they’re having to live by the same rules as everybody else. They don’t want to pay the same taxes as everybody else and they want to be able to control things without proper oversight,” DeSantis said Thursday during his visit to Israel. “The days of putting one company on a pedestal with no accountability are over in the state of Florida.”
DeSantis was speaking at the third stop on his international trip meant to bolster his foreign policy credentials ahead of a potential 2024 campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.
DeSantis has faced criticism for diving into a conflict with Disney, as the company is a major driver of tourism and a large Florida employer. Business leaders and White House rivals have bashed his stance, calling his stance a rejection of the self-government tenets of conservatism.
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The fight began after Disney, facing significant pressure from the public and within, publicly opposed a state law that bans lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in elementary school classrooms. DeSantis then took over Disney’s self-governing district, Reedy Creek, and appointed a new board of supervisors to oversee the municipality.
However, before the board could come in, Disney pushed through a last-minute agreement that stripped the new supervisors of their authority.
The Disney lawsuit asks a federal judge to block the governor’s takeover and the oversight board’s actions because they are violating the company’s right to free speech.
Action News Jax will continue to follow the story and update you as events unfold.