Disney has taken legal action against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, accusing him of conducting a “targeted campaign of government retaliation” in response to the company’s opposition to a law dubbed “Don’t Say Gay”. Minutes after the newly appointed Disney World oversight board appointed by Mr DeSantis voted to void a deal that put Disney in control of theme park design and construction decisions, a lawsuit was filed in Tallahassee.
This ongoing feud between Governor DeSantis, a potential presidential candidate, and Disney, a major political and tourism force in Florida, has sparked criticism from fellow White House hopefuls and business leaders, who see it as a direct violation of the conservative ideology of small government.
It all began last year when Disney, after incurring public pressure, publicly opposed the state law banning classroom lessons about sexuality and gender identity in early grades. As a result, Mr DeSantis took control of Disney World’s self-governing district, and formed a new board of supervisors to oversee municipal services in the theme parks.
In a last-ditch effort to retain control of their property, Disney hurriedly made an agreement that decreased the new supervisors’ authority. The DeSantis board deemed this move by Disney as unlawful and without proper public notice, and thus declared it void on Wednesday.
