US Presidential Contender DeSantis and Disney in Legal Battle: "Stop Political Retaliation"

Disney has begun a legal dispute with Ron DeSantis, the leading Republican presidential candidate and Governor of Florida. The conflict, which started over the so-called 'Gay Education Ban Law' that prohibits teaching about homosexuality and gender identity in public schools last year, appears to be escalating.

On the 26th (local time), according to Bloomberg News and others, Disney filed a lawsuit in the Northern District Court of Florida, requesting to stop the Florida Special District Oversight Board from illegally seizing Disney's property rights. The defendants are Governor DeSantis, five members of the oversight board, and state government officials responsible.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Disney's filing came immediately after the oversight board decided to nullify the agreement that granted Disney long-term control over the special administrative district designated around Disney World, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD). The oversight board of the Disney World special administrative district is composed of members appointed by Governor DeSantis.

In the complaint, Disney criticized Governor DeSantis for "a relentless campaign to weaponize state power against Disney in retaliation for expressing political views." They further claimed, "This campaign now threatens Disney's business operations, jeopardizes the future economy of the region, and infringes upon constitutional rights."

In response, Jeremy Redfern, Deputy Spokesperson for Governor DeSantis, tweeted, "Disney's lawsuit is another unfortunate example of them hoping to undermine the will of Florida voters," adding, "We know of no legal right for one company to maintain special privileges in the state."

The conflict between Disney and Governor DeSantis has continued since last year. The dispute began after Florida enacted the so-called 'Gay Education Ban Law' in May last year, which prohibits teaching sexual orientation and gender identity to young students in public schools. Initially, Disney did not take a clear stance, but following strong opposition from employees, then-CEO Bob Chapek publicly opposed the law.

Subsequently, Governor DeSantis requested the state legislature to revoke special tax benefits granted to the Disney district and signed a bill to abolish these benefits entirely. However, concerns arose that dissolving the special district might increase tax burdens on citizens, leading to a law that allowed the special district to remain but enabled the governor to appoint all five members of the oversight board to control it.

Ron DeSantis, Governor of Florida, USA
Photo by Reuters

In response, just before the legislature passed this bill, Disney signed an agreement with the pre-replacement board members to maintain control over the Orlando special district area for the next 30 years. Governor DeSantis was outraged and even threatened to "build a prison" in the special district area.

Jeremy Redfern, Deputy Spokesperson for Governor DeSantis, tweeted again on the same day, "Disney's lawsuit is another unfortunate example of them hoping to undermine the will of Florida voters," adding, "We know of no legal right for one company to maintain special privileges in the state."

Meanwhile, a survey showed that Governor DeSantis's intense conflict with Disney has garnered positive reactions from Republican supporters in the region. In a survey conducted by Ipsos and Reuters, 44% of Republican supporters said the conflict with Disney made them view Governor DeSantis more favorably.

However, seven out of ten respondents overall said they do not prefer candidates who support laws that retaliate against a company's political or cultural views, suggesting that DeSantis's actions may not significantly help him after being officially nominated as the Republican presidential candidate in the primary election.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.