The battle between Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis and entertainment giant Disney has intensified this week. Disney filed a lawsuit accusing DeSantis of illegally utilizing the state government to punish a company for exercising its right to free speech. Take a look at how things got to this point.
Last year, Disney's then-CEO, Bob Chapek, said the company opposed a controversial Florida bill eventually signed into law by DeSantis. The "Parental Rights in Education Act,," which critics refer to as the "Don't say gay" law, bans in-class discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity for kindergarten to third grade students in Florida.
In early March, Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a bill that gave control of Walt Disney World's autonomous district in Orlando back to the state of Florida.
Walt Disney World's self-governing district was granted in the 1960s as an incentive for Disney to build in the area, and gave it the freedom to operate more or less like its own county.
DeSantis appointees took over the state board that oversees Disney World, but ahead of the takeover, Disney made changes to the special tax district agreement that limits the board's action for decades to come.
Florida's new oversight body on Wednesday said Disney World's potential expansion plans did not comply with state law and declared the agreement void.
Disney's action filed Wednesday, said its lawsuit aims to protect Disney World's employees, developers, and visitors from "retaliation for expressing a political viewpoint unpopular with certain State officials.”
"We are unaware of any legal right that a company has to operate its own government or maintain special privileges," DeSantis spokesman Jeremy Redfern said Wednesday on Twitter.
DeSantis claims Disney has "gotten away with special deals from the State of Florida for "way too long.”
Disney's lawsuit alleges that the newly formed tourist board violated the company's contract rights, and did so without just compensation or due process.
Disney's lawsuit said that its existing contracts with the state of Florida would invest $17 billion in Disney World and create 13,000 jobs over the next decade.
Some of DeSantis's fellow Republicans say his approach is at odds with the pro-business policies favored by the GOP.
Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who is seeking the 2024 Republican nomination, said to Disney in a tweet, "My home state will happily accept your 70,000+ jobs if you want to leave Florida," adding that her state "is not woke, but we're not sanctimonious about it either.”
DeSantis is expected to announce his 2024 presidential run in May.
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