Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis, having been outsmarted by Disney last week in his fascist efforts to punish the company for defying him on "wokeness", is now trying to retroactively rewrite the rules once again in order to find a way to bring the company down.
Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida and the Walt Disney Company clashed anew on Monday, with the governor requesting an investigation into Disney’s effort to sidestep state oversight of its theme parks and Robert A. Iger, Disney’s chief executive, blasting Mr. DeSantis as “anti-business” and “anti-Florida.”
Mr. DeSantis and Disney, Florida’s largest private employer and corporate taxpayer, have been sparring for more than a year over a special tax district, enacted in 1967, that has effectively allowed the company to self-govern Disney World as a de facto county. Disney has long been able to control fire protection, policing, road maintenance — and, crucially, development planning — at the 25,000-acre resort.
Mr. DeSantis and the Florida Legislature restricted Disney’s autonomy in February by appointing a handpicked oversight board for the tax district. Previously, Disney selected the board members. But the new appointees — and, apparently, the governor — only realized last week that the Disney-controlled board, as one of its final actions, pushed through a development agreement with the company that would limit the new board’s power for decades to come.
Outraged, the new board hired four law firms to scrutinize the matter and, potentially, take Disney to court.
On Monday morning, shortly before Disney’s annual shareholder meeting, Mr. DeSantis sent a letter to Melinda Miguel, Florida’s chief inspector general, asking for “a thorough review and investigation” into Disney’s effort to circumvent his authority.
“These collusive and self-dealing arrangements aim to nullify the recently passed legislation, undercut Florida’s legislative process and defy the will of Floridians,” Mr. DeSantis wrote. “Any legal or ethical violations should be referred to the proper authorities.” A spokesman for Mr. DeSantis added that “Disney is again fighting to keep its special corporate benefits and dodge Florida law. We are not going to let that happen.”
Speaking at the shareholder meeting, Robert A. Iger, Disney’s chief executive, denounced Mr. DeSantis for moving to restrict Disney’s tax district autonomy — noting that the governor took action only after the company halted political donations in Florida and criticized a contentious state education law. The legislation, labeled “Don’t Say Gay” by opponents, prohibits classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity for students through the third grade and limits it for older ones.
“A company has a right to freedom of speech just like individuals do,” Mr. Iger said. “The governor got very angry over the position Disney took and seems like he’s decided to retaliate against us, including the naming of a new board to oversee the property, in effect to seek to punish a company for its exercise of a constitutional right. And that just seems really wrong to me.”
It does seem wrong because it is. It's a classic fascist strongman move, to threaten private entities with fines or worse for daring to have an opinion that differs from the local tin pot dictator.
Again, Disney is a pretty awful company and controls far too much of the American news and entertainment sector and like several US companies, needs to be broken up and divested of much of its values.
But there's a process for that, and this is just DeSantis being a fascist asshole.
We know that part's true because DeSantis signed a 6-week abortion ban into law, and had the chair of the Florida Dems, Nikki Fried, arrested for protesting it peacefully last night.
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried and Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book were among about a dozen demonstrators who were handcuffed and arrested at an evening protest for abortion rights outside Tallahassee City Hall.
The protesters, condemning the state's proposed six-week abortion ban, were taken away by police while sitting in a circle and singing "Lean on Me" inside a barricaded area of a park that was closed at sunset.
They were warned by police that if they didn't leave the area, they would be subject to arrest. As a large contingent of police approached, protesters yelled "shame, shame" as everyone was cuffed and walked to the parking garage beneath City Hall and loaded into a Tallahassee Police Department van.
In a press release, a police spokesperson wrote that "TPD assisted in ensuring a safe environment" for demonstrators as they "peacefully protested."
"After multiple warnings throughout the day, protestors acknowledged they understood that anyone refusing to leave the premises at sundown would be subject to arrest," the spokesperson wrote. "This evening, after sunset, the majority of the crowd left the property while 11 people refused to leave despite numerous requests. They were subsequently arrested for trespass after warning."
"TPD encourages individuals exercising their First Amendment right of peaceful assembly to do so in accordance with the law. TPD supports non-disruptive demonstrations and works diligently to protect and uphold the rights of citizens every day."
Sure they do.
Meanwhile, DeSantis is removing his political enemies left and right.
It's fascism, folks.
Pay attention.
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