Photo: Alamy
Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., is pulling no punches when it comes to holding Disney accountable to Florida state law.
During a town hall event in Orlando with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham on Thursday, DeSantis stated, “It just simply ends with them [Disney] being treated the same as every other company in Florida. They’re going to follow the laws. They’re not going to have their own government. They’re going to pay their debts, pay their taxes.”
The governor’s comments come days after he revoked Disney’s self-governing privileges in the Sunshine State – an arrangement that has awarded the company incredible tax breaks and legal loopholes for the past 55 years.
His decision to sign a bill rescinding Disney’s special status follows the company’s condemnation of Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Bill (HB 1557). The new law prohibits discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity with schoolchildren in kindergarten to third grade.
Since Disney’s criticism of the parental rights bill, information has shown the entertainment company openly promoting an LGBTQ agenda in their children’s films. In fact, Disney Executive Producer Latoya Raveneau reportedly stated that her team was pushing a “not-at-all-secret gay agenda” in Disney’s programs.
Disney’s overt attack on parents’ rights has earned the ire of Gov. DeSantis, who has taken an offensive stance. He is moving to force Disney to pay their fair share of taxes in Florida and ensure that they are subject to state law regarding obtaining permits, project improvement, and construction.
The Florida governor has also promised to take “additional legislative action” against Disney. He said, “They will be paying taxes, probably more taxes. They will follow the laws that every other person has to do and they will no longer have the ability to run their own government.”
The governor continued in his remarks, stating, “I am not comfortable having one company with their own government and special privileges, when that company has pledged itself to attacking the parents in my state.” He added, “When that company has very high up people talking about injecting pansexualism into programming for young kids, it’s wrong. Walt Disney would not want that.”
