Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has announced that he will seek to nullify a deal that the Walt Disney Company reached with outgoing members of the oversight board for its special tax district in central Florida. The move comes as the feud between DeSantis and Disney escalates, with the governor accusing the company of “woke ideology” and Disney criticizing the state’s “Don’t Say Gay” law.
The deal, which was reached in February, would have limited the power of DeSantis’s appointees to the oversight board. However, DeSantis has said that the deal is illegal and that he will seek to have it overturned in court.
“The Disney Company in Florida has shown a pattern of corporate overreach, and this deal is just another example,” DeSantis said in a statement. “We will not allow a woke multinational corporation to control our state.”
Disney has called DeSantis’s actions “anti-business” and “anti-Florida.” The company has also said that it is prepared to fight the governor in court.
“We are confident that the courts will uphold the legality of this agreement,” Disney said in a statement. “We remain committed to working with the state to ensure that Disney World continues to be a vibrant and thriving part of the Florida economy.”
The feud between DeSantis and Disney is likely to have a significant impact on the state. Disney is one of Florida’s largest employers, and its parks and resorts are a major tourist draw. The company also has a significant influence on Florida politics.
The outcome of the feud could also have implications for the 2024 presidential election. DeSantis is a potential Republican candidate for president, and he has been using his feud with Disney to raise his profile among conservative voters.
It remains to be seen how the feud between DeSantis and Disney will ultimately end. However, it is clear that the battle is far from over.
