Mickey Mouse Takes Aim at Republican Candidate Ron DeSantis
Recent developments have thrust Republican contender Ron DeSantis into an unexpected legal tussle with an iconic media giant. DeSantis, whose victorious 2018 Florida gubernatorial campaign was underscored by the rallying cry “Run With Ron,” now faces a legal challenge from the Walt Disney Co (NYSE:DIS).
The media conglomerate, headquartered in Burbank, California, and notably one of Florida’s foremost business partners, has initiated a lawsuit against DeSantis. This legal dispute originates from actions undertaken by the Central Florida Tourism Oversight Board, an entity that has been recently rebranded under DeSantis’ direction.
In the earlier part of this year, Disney had established specific development agreements for land in Orlando. However, the situation shifted when Disney publicly opposed DeSantis’ enactment of the “Don’t say gay” law, which restricts discourse on sexual orientation and gender across all school grades. This stance led to a retaliatory response from the governor. At his urging, the oversight board revoked the previously established contracts.
Dan Petrocelli, a prominent attorney with the O’Melveny law firm and a representative of Disney, is now working to safeguard the development contracts that had been previously settled upon with the Walt Disney World resort.
The significance of this scenario is underlined by DeSantis’ presidential aspirations. Yet, his campaign appears to be experiencing some turbulence, exacerbated by the ongoing rift with Disney. This struggle for reputation and favor, colloquially dubbed the “woke war,” seems to be falling short in winning over potential voters.
Moreover, the discord with a major corporation casts an unfavorable light on DeSantis as a GOP hopeful. This is particularly noteworthy since the party is traditionally associated with principles of free enterprise and hands-off economics.
In a surprising shift, DeSantis has recently adjusted his stance. He publicly expressed his hope that Disney will withdraw its lawsuit, paving the way for a constructive way forward for all parties involved.
The unfolding situation will ultimately determine whether the parent company of Star Wars chooses to step back from the confrontation. The legal proceedings are overseen by Judge Margaret H. Schreiber in Florida’s Orange County.
Market-wise, Walt Disney shares showed a slight decline of 0.44%, trading at $85.54 as of the most recent update on Friday.