Gray Rohrer
Spurred by the Walt Disney Company’s purported support of critical race theory in workplace training and its vocal opposition to a bill banning the teaching of sexual orientation or gender identity in schools, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed two bills Friday aimed at punishing the entertainment and tourism giant that has become synonymous with Florida.
DeSantis said he was irked by a Disney statement last month that it would work to repeal HB 1557.
“You’re a corporation based in Burbank, California and you’re going to marshal your economic might to attack the parents of my state?” DeSantis said at a bill signing event in Hialeah. “We view that as a provocation and we’re going to fight back against that.”
The bills, SB 4C and SB 6C, were passed Thursday after a whirlwind Special Session that was originally dedicated solely to redrawing congressional districts.
But DeSantis expanded the scope of the Session on Tuesday, just hours before it began. Lawmakers added legislation stripping Disney of its self-governing status in the Reedy Creek Improvement District, a 40-acre enclave that covers its theme park properties in Central Florida. Another bill removed a carve-out for Disney in a Big Tech crackdown law.
In SB 4C, the RDIC is dissolved as of June 1, 2023. The move will shift $1 billion in debt held by the districts to surrounding municipalities, namely, Orange and Osceola counties. Fitch Ratings Inc. has already put RDIC’s bonds on “negative watch,” and warned of a possible downgrade because of the measure.
By signing SB 6C, DeSantis now includes companies that own theme parks in the law he signed last year designed to penalize Big Tech firms that remove users from their platforms without warnings.
DeSantis said he would be justified in signing both bills even if Disney didn’t come out against the parental rights bill, which critics have dubbed “Don’t Say Gay.” The Governor cited video conference meetings some of Disney’s executives held with workplace and diversity training experts unearthed by conservative activists in which concepts such as “white guilt,” “white fragility” and, according to DeSantis, “pansexualism” were discussed.
“They were talking about concepts like pansexualism. I thought to myself, ‘I don’t know what that means, but I know I don’t want my 5-year-old daughter to be taught it,’” DeSantis said.
“It’s really, really problematic when a company that had been so, so synonymous with parents with young children to, yes come out against the parents’ rights bill, but then to have those videos produced where they’re doing that — I’m just not comfortable having that type of agenda get special treatment in my state.”
24 comments
Itold Usoh
April 22, 2022 at 5:13 pm
— “They were talking about concepts like pansexualism. I thought to myself, ‘I don’t know what that means, but I know I don’t want my 5-year-old daughter to be taught it,’” DeSantis said. —
Love it! He talks like most of us think (but do not dare say anything). He speaks in a straightforward, average-guy sort of way. So unlike the left and their faculty lounge, elite yammerings about “intersectionality,” “urgent conversations we must have,” and “gender affirming instruction.”
I am a registered Democrat and voted for Gillum last election, but I like this combative, common man approach to issues. So unlike Charlie Crist. No one know what he believes.
Raheim
April 22, 2022 at 5:34 pm
DeSantis believes in DeSantis and absolutely nothing else. He has no loyalties and he has no honor.
They cashiered him out of the Navy for his inability to manage an effective team and his demoralizing behavior. He wasn’t going to be promoted further do he quit.
He’ll quit in Florida too. He kind of already is.
Impeach Biden
April 22, 2022 at 6:59 pm
Where’s your proof on his Navy record? Or did you read this on Facebook? Did you serve, or just watch on the sidelines?
Like I will
April 22, 2022 at 7:08 pm
“Where’s your proof”
His navy record lol
Enjoy your new taxes
Impeach Biden
April 22, 2022 at 7:10 pm
Another one with no proof. I pay zero state income tax, how about you in your Democrat run state?
Richard Ralph Bruce
April 22, 2022 at 8:41 pm
Post your DD214 so we all can see your military history.
Impeach Biden
April 22, 2022 at 9:03 pm
Hey Richard Ralph Bruce. My USAF AFSC was K1115Q. How about yours?
Gravy force
April 23, 2022 at 3:40 pm
You fly planes right into the ground lol
Gravy force
April 25, 2022 at 7:26 pm
“I’m still here above ground”
No wonder we lost in Afghanistan with you in the air
To the trailer
April 23, 2022 at 3:34 am
“I Pay zero income tax”
republicans never make enough to tax. Lol
Impeach Biden
April 23, 2022 at 8:52 pm
Hey Gravy Force. I’m still here above the ground. You must have looked me up.🤣.
The.Truth.Comes.Out.In.The.End
April 22, 2022 at 9:59 pm
You can’t make this up…. Our dear Florida Gov hates those that are “WOKE”. Woke means awake. The opposite is asleep. You do not think when you are asleep. Dear Ronny just shot those in Orange and Oceola counties in the checkbook. Disney has paid for ALL it’s upkeep (roads, police, garbage – EVERYTHING) Now, those 2 counties have to take it ALL over, including 1 billion or so in debt. How will they pay for this? Taxes. Property taxes. Just in time for the November election, all the citezens of those two counties are going to see tax hikes. Ya know, for all the talk about Republicans wanting smaller Government and less intrusion into citizen lives. Gov Ron sure seems to have amnesia…. All he seems to care about is revenge. Hmmm, who does that remind me of? Hmmmmm…
Numbers by the book
April 23, 2022 at 3:40 am
“I don’t know what that means”
Another dumb southern governor with more guns then eduction lol
Raheim
April 22, 2022 at 5:30 pm
Nothing DeSantis does will hurt Disney. But it’s definitely going to hurt the Florida taxpayer.
Impeach Biden
April 22, 2022 at 7:08 pm
Oh I think you are wrong. Disney will be hurt as well and Chapek will be removed / fired and a new CEO will enter to smooth things over with our Governor.
The.Truth.Comes.Out.In.The.End
April 22, 2022 at 10:05 pm
So they fire the CEO. How does that hurt Disney? The only ones hurt are the citizens of Orange and Oceola counties. Dear Ronny does not have to pay for his “revenge”. The citizens of those two counties do.
Impeach Biden
April 22, 2022 at 10:36 pm
Question? Does Universal Studios / Islands of Adventure / Epic Universe / Sea World / Lego Land get any special deals? If anyone is gonna pay it’s those woke mousketeers attending Disney. Like every other tourist hot spot , it’s the visitors that will eventually pay. Look at the tourist tax that gets attached to everything from hotels to car rentals and on.
You have no money
April 23, 2022 at 3:37 am
No one cares what some dirt farmer in Florida thinks of Disney. lol
Or at all
April 23, 2022 at 3:38 am
“Oh I think you are wrong”
Southerners aren’t payed to think lol
Impeach Biden
April 23, 2022 at 5:47 am
Ha! Ha! Arrogant, liberal Yankee going to set us red necks straight. Yes you are the ones that screwed up your states with big government, high taxes, high crime, and you cut and run to Florida. Then you dummies vote the same way and are now trying to screw up Florida as well. So where will all you morons go to next?
Country numb
April 23, 2022 at 3:42 pm
“Liberal yankee”
Whats wrong cow farmer? Never seen a building you could not make with wood? Lol
Ron Martin
April 22, 2022 at 6:11 pm
He narcassci worse than his daddy trump he got to be in the news no matter what. Dubsantis has been a whatbe President from the begining. Now hes beginning to just be terrible dont say gay bill 2 rduced black congressional seat whats next?
Andrew Finn
April 23, 2022 at 9:37 am
Now that Emperor DeSantis has taken his swat at the Disney Corporation because he got his panties in a knot, the people of Florida (mainly Orange and Osceola County residents) will be paying through the nose for his latest tantrum. They will inherit the cost of services and upwards of a billion —- that’s right – BILLION —- dollars worth of debt that will blow their taxes through the roof. That should lose him enough votes to get his sorry ass out of Tallahassee in the November election. One can only hope. Ronny can join Hitler and all the others of his kind in Hell next January !!!!!!
rass
April 23, 2022 at 9:54 am
Rona is a Fix Entertainment junkie and panders in it’s slime light! Duh. He’s woke and burnt. Now, like the pied piper, he seduced GOP legislators to follow him into the abyss. What’s a mere $1 Billion to the taxpayers of Orange and Osceola when Rona gets to show us how to beat up the Mouse? He’s almost as powerful as God, and much better looking no doubt, especially on TV with Tucker and the other entertainers! If only he knew how to use a dictionary so he could learn how to be pansexual. He won’t be potsexual, that’s for sure, as he doesn’t like the smell of MaryJane. Some say it smells like freedom. We are SO free thanks to Ron! Heck, dare speak out on proposed legislation and Rona WILL punish you. So just keep quiet as a mouse, or maybe just go to sleep and keep from wokeness. Florida is circling the bowl, already flush with Rona and his flunkies, err, flushies.
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