DeSantis V. Iger
“Disney CEO Bob Iger said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ attacks on the company threaten its plans for $17 billion of investment and 13,000 new jobs at Disney World over the next 10 years.
In comments Wednesday during a call with investors, Iger defended Disney as Florida attempts to wrest control of powers granted to a special taxing district overseeing Disney World’s zoning decisions. Disney and Florida are locked in a legal battle.
Iger did not mention DeSantis by name or explicitly say Disney is reconsidering its planned investment. But he said Florida is acting unfairly to the company and asked: “Does the state want us to invest more, employ more people and pay more taxes or not?””
The war of words between of DeSantis and Disney has moved into the legal realm with lawsuits now flying between the two actors in this bizarre drama. A GOP governor that is ostensibly pro business has besmirched his reputation in hopes of generating enough homophobic hate to propel him to win his party’s nomination for President. That hope seems to have been dashed with the constant legal wrangling now viewed as petty even within the GOP. Other potential candidates are taking notice and exploiting what appears to be a blatantly anti-business stance that could gravely harm his state’s economy. Just wait till the legal bills come due, that won’t go over well.
