This all began when DeSantis got his knickers in a twist because Disney had the audacity to criticize his “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Since then, DeSantis has looked like Wile E. Coyote going after Road Runner with one stupid stunt backfiring bigly, only to be followed by an even stupider escalation backfiring. With DeSantis’ latest stunt, of having the Florida legislature take large, punitive swaths of control over the company, Disney has finally had enough.
I’m not a lawyer but it seems that Disney has a pretty good case that could dash any and all of DeSantis’ future political aspirations.
From The New York Times:
The lawsuit accused Mr. DeSantis of a “relentless campaign to weaponize government power against Disney in retaliation for expressing a political viewpoint.” The campaign, the complaint added, “now threatens Disney’s business operations, jeopardizes its economic future in the region and violates its constitutional rights.”
Other than his thin skin and fragile ego, it’s hard to understand why DeSantis is so obsessed with punishing Disney. It’s integral to the state’s economy, not to mention hugely popular with the world. More from The Times:
Just a short time ago, it would have been unthinkable for Disney and Florida to be such bitter adversaries. Since 1967, when the state’s Republican leaders gave Disney the right to self-govern property as an incentive to build a theme park, the company and Florida governors have, for the most part, gotten along splendidly. Disney has always doled out hefty political contributions. But its real influence came in the form of jobs and economic impact: Disney World is the nation’s largest single-site employer — roughly 75,000 employees work there — and attracts 50 million guests annually, powering Florida’s all-important tourism economy.
Disney paid and collected a total of $1.2 billion in state and local taxes in 2022, according to company disclosures. The company recently said it has earmarked $17 billion for expansion spending at the resort over the next decade, growth that would create an additional 13,000 jobs at the company.
It doesn’t look like DeSantis has a great defense, either:
Mr. DeSantis and his allies have repeatedly characterized their actions as simply putting Disney on “level playing ground” with other theme park operators in the state. But Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and Legoland do not have oversight boards controlled by the governor. Based on the governor’s comments, the state’s other large theme parks would not be subject to additional ride safety inspections — only Disney World.
Even some Republicans think DeSantis has lost his mind over Disney.
