A.G. Gancarski
Florida’s Governor is tapping into a new argument against a brewery gone bad.
During an interview with Megyn Kelly, Ron DeSantis claimed Bud Light “injured” Floridians through briefly engaging transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney as a product endorser.
“I have people in Florida that were injured by the company’s decline as a result of that, you know, these are people that rely on the pension,” DeSantis said.
During a Fox News hit earlier this month, DeSantis noted Florida’s pension fund had roughly $50 million in exposure to the pension fund, as the state “overweighted” Bud Light parent company InBev.
Remarkably, the state held the position even as DeSantis encouraged people to boycott the brew, though Kelly didn’t ask DeSantis why the state didn’t simply liquidate its InBev positions.
DeSantis was asked, however, about his call to boycott the beer. He claims that stopped short of weaponizing the power of the state against a commodity the state owns.
“That’s just as a personal thing,” DeSantis said. “We didn’t have, like, the state government, you know, necessarily, you know, putting power about it. But as an American, I said, ‘I’m not doing Anheuser. I’m not doing Bud Light.'”
DeSantis then claimed so-called “wokeness” was to blame and not his personal endorsement of the boycott.
“We’re defending the people that are beneficiaries of the pension,” DeSantis said. “When they’re trying to throw an agenda down your throat, you don’t like it, but it does have an impact on the economy. It has an impact on people who hold stocks — and that’s not just rich people. That’s those people. So with InBev, they departed from their fiduciary duty and so we’re investigating.”
DeSantis has worked Bud Light bashing into his campaign speeches, recently telling South Carolina supporters the company is trying to push “transgenderism.”
Previously, on “The Benny Show” podcast video, the Governor vowed never to drink the domestic light beer again, saying a boycott of the brew was “righteous.”
“Why would you want to drink Bud Light? I mean, like, honestly that’s like them rubbing our faces in it. And it’s like, these companies that do this, if they never have any response, they’re just going to keep doing it. So, if you as a consumer are like … ‘Yeah, they’re doing that, but I’m just going to keep drinking anyways,’ well, then they’re going to keep doing it,” DeSantis said, before eventually revealing he liked Guinness better anyway.
21 comments
Tom
July 28, 2023 at 3:33 pm
So desantis calls for a boycott on BL then complains when the stock price falls because of the boycott even though, legally, it’s considered a legitimate business decision that went awry with no consequences other than reputational damage to the brand? He really is desperate for talking points if this is all he has. Inbev is only off $8 in the last six months anyhow. You can smell the failure in his campaign from here in Florida where thankfully, he doesn’t spend any time, any more. Do we really have to take him back?
Josh Green
July 28, 2023 at 3:33 pm
Cry about it.
PeterH
July 28, 2023 at 3:46 pm
Did Megyn Kelly ask DeSantis for proof of his claim that pension recipients were immediately impacted by the DeSantis ruination of yet another business?
Why do Republicans support a business killer?
SteveHC
July 28, 2023 at 4:23 pm
DeSantis has raised nonsensical double-talk to an art form – he should feel right at home in the company of fellow Republican genius George Santos (assuming that’s his actual name).
My Take
July 28, 2023 at 11:16 pm
I’ve seen “Ron DeSantos” used.
SteveHC
July 29, 2023 at 1:14 am
lol, I’m going to have to remember that one (actually took me a NY minute to get it lol)
Joe
July 28, 2023 at 4:57 pm
Then they were injured by the transphobic boycott, not by the product, you disingenuous pipsqueak.
RonBeGone
July 29, 2023 at 6:40 am
They were actually more harmed by the Russian investments that tanked after the Ukraine war started, but there’s no way anyone on Faux News would ever ask him about that. Only softballs for ole puddin fingers over there.
Dont Say FLA
July 28, 2023 at 5:20 pm
Stupid Maggas that eat up the GOP’s culture war nonsense are the reason Bud Light has issues. Because the GOP knows just how stupid their Maggas are, it’s on the GOP for creating the culture war. If Rhonda wants retribution for losses incurred by Floridians that have holdings in Bud, first, too bad, stocks are risky. Second, perhaps Rhonda should find a very high bridge and jump off it.
Beer Belly
July 28, 2023 at 5:24 pm
If people were drinking Bud Light but now they aren’t, that is not a change I would consider as injurious. I would consider that a lifestyle change in the improved direction.
Ocean Joe
July 28, 2023 at 5:47 pm
Which investments were removed because they offended the governor’s personal views about ESG and how much money has the pension fund lost as a result?
Republican meddling. Reminds me of Jeb! getting elected, and bringing all the brainiacs from Texas to run things, loading the state up on Enron before it cratered: $350,000,000 loss to Florida.
Mark
July 28, 2023 at 9:13 pm
How much did the State Pension Fund lose on Twitter investments. And Get off My Lawn Rock was the main impetus to drive the trailer trash back to Natty Lite (also ImBev). Remember, back in April, when he shot-and missed mostly-the beer HE BOUGHT while an assistant luckily did the real damage with a shotgun off camera?
Tropical
July 28, 2023 at 10:41 pm
desantis, you continue to pick the weirdest s hitt to make a fuss about.
I’d tell you to quit acting like a little bully baby, but we’ve seen that it is not possible. A troubled mind = no win.
My Take
July 28, 2023 at 11:25 pm
“Hold my [Buď Light] beer while I . . . .”
SteveHC
July 29, 2023 at 1:26 am
FINALLY! DeSantis has finally morphed himself into an almost-useful figure: a comical, modern-day Pat Paulsen. Now if he’ll start doing it *deliberately* maybe he’ll have created his next career path…
RonBeGone
July 29, 2023 at 6:43 am
His next career will be as a K-Street leech with the rest of his loser buddies. Sponging off billionaires and CEOs.
Michael K
July 29, 2023 at 9:01 am
I just read the Home Depot is investing heavily in ESG.
Hey Ron: Are y9ou gonna boycott the Homo-Depot next?
Andrew
July 29, 2023 at 12:23 pm
No Ron, YOU and your ideology hurt Floridians. You made it about yourself, not the beer, not the issue, yourself, like you always do and the results are your polling numbers!
Andrew
July 29, 2023 at 12:23 pm
No Ron, YOU and your ideology hurt Floridians. You made it about yourself, not the beer, not the issue, yourself, like you always do and the results are your polling numbers!
Rhonda's Migrant Flights
July 30, 2023 at 4:28 pm
Rhonda’s kidnapped migrant flights run $12 million each, paid for by Florida. So, who’s nonsense is costing Florida more, Bud Light boycotters or Rhonda? Who damaged Florida more? Bud Light or Rhonda. Hint: It’s Rhonda.
Chia Pet Ron
July 31, 2023 at 8:19 am
Little Ron is so tiny! It’s almost cute and adorable. Look how that sat him a couple feet closer to the camera so it’s not so obvious that tiny D is tinier than even a Fox Newsette. Maybe that’s why he acts like a Nazi. Tiny man syndrome.
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