Jerusalem.- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Thursday rejected legal action against him by the Walt Disney Co, calling it political and accusing the global entertainment giant of a lack of accountability and transparency.
Disney, in a lawsuit filed this week, accused the DeSantis Administration of “weaponizing its power to inflict political punishment” in a dispute over special provisions for the Disney World theme park in central Florida.
Disney is one of the largest employers in the state, and its amusement parks attract millions of visitors each year.
“I don’t think the lawsuit has merit, I think it’s political,” DeSantis told reporters in Jerusalem, his last stop on an international tour before the expected announcement of a presidential race that would pit him against former President Donald Trump for the Republican nomination.
DeSantis is locked in a battle with Disney over a Florida measure that bans classroom discussion of sexuality and gender identity with young children.
Elected Republicans have increasingly attacked corporate social policies as they push to diversify their workforces, fund climate-related measures and become more supportive of LGBT+ rights.
Florida passed a law ending special conditions that gave Disney virtual autonomy in the Florida district where Disney World is located.
“They had no transparency, no accountability, nothing like that, and that deal was not good for the state of Florida,” DeSantis said.
“We didn’t think that should continue, so now we have demanded accountability.”
Disney, which has criticized the Florida classroom measure, says the state government has illegally punished it for expressing an opinion that should be protected by free speech rights.
DeSantis initially drew plaudits from supporters in Florida and the Republican Party base, but has recently come under fire for what has become a legal imbroglio.
Trump has said that Disney is making fun of DeSantis, while fellow Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, suggested that the company could relocate to her state.
