# DeSantis's war on Disney **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 19, 2022, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desantiss-war-on-disney/963073 "2022-04-19T18:56:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 20
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2023, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desantiss-war-on-disney/963073/381 "2023-10-19T23:53:39Z")
> [@Max\_S](#): > > I checked and Disney did in fact withdraw [the $4,126 it had donated to Joe Harding](https://popular.info/p/the-inside-story-of-how-disney-turned?s=r#:~:text=And%2C%20in%20the,Joe%20Harding%20(R)) (who sponsored the [Don’t Say Gay] bill in the statehouse). The moral arc of Fucking Around is long, but it bends toward Finding Out. > **[Ex-Florida GOP lawmaker who sponsored so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bill...](https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/19/ex-florida-gop-lawmaker-who-sponsored-so-called-dont-say-gay-bill-sentenced-to-prison-00122618)** > > Joe Harding was also sentenced to two years of supervised release following his prison sentence. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2023, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desantiss-war-on-disney/963073/382 "2023-10-20T03:48:30Z")
The point is- there are A TON of special tax districts. As pointed out time after time, Disney is not special here. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2023, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desantiss-war-on-disney/963073/383 "2023-10-20T07:08:04Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > The moral arc of Fucking Around is long, but it bends toward Finding Out. You win one Internet. I am totally stealing that. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2024, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desantiss-war-on-disney/963073/384 "2024-02-01T13:49:59Z")
Suit dismissed due to lack of standing. Disney to “‘press forward’ with its case but not specifying how.” > **[Judge dismisses Disney suit against DeSantis over special tax district](https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/01/31/disney-desantis-florida-lawsuit-gay/)** > > A federal judge dismissed Disney’s lawsuit against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over the state’s dismantling of the entertainment giant’s special taxing district. Readable by all without a gift link by the usual methods that shall not be mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2024, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desantiss-war-on-disney/963073/385 "2024-02-01T19:46:27Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > Suit dismissed due to lack of standing. By a trump appointed judge. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2024, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desantiss-war-on-disney/963073/386 "2024-02-01T22:45:48Z")
Gift link (in case the aforementioned usual methods don’t work): > **[Judge dismisses Disney suit against DeSantis over special tax district](https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/01/31/disney-desantis-florida-lawsuit-gay/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzA2NzYzNjAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzA4MTQ1OTk5LCJpYXQiOjE3MDY3NjM2MDAsImp0aSI6ImFjZmQ4ZmMzLTA4MmYtNDY2Mi04YWEzLTJkY2IyZTAxZTNlZiIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9uYXRpb24vMjAyNC8wMS8zMS9kaXNuZXktZGVzYW50aXMtZmxvcmlkYS1sYXdzdWl0LWdheS8ifQ.pWrjaSmi2eZX9TtQZo3JI851pN8wAXve49k4BgFtcYs&itid=gfta)** > > A federal judge dismissed Disney’s lawsuit against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over the state’s dismantling of the entertainment giant’s special taxing district. Shockingly, the prospect of a president that would be eager to punish private businesses for exercising free speech, did not endear Ron DeSantis to GOP voters. Or maybe it _did_. But it wasn’t enough to overcome their aversion to his personality. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2024, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desantiss-war-on-disney/963073/387 "2024-02-01T22:54:02Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > But it wasn’t enough to overcome their aversion to his personality. DeSantis has a personality? ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2024, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desantiss-war-on-disney/963073/388 "2024-02-01T22:58:53Z")
I know I’ve posted this (somewhere) on this site before, but: my very favorite description of Desantis came from Seth Meyers. > [@](#): > > DeSantis is like if a mailbox could be racist. In the months since he said it, it hasn’t been bettered. > **[Meyers Wonders Which 'A\*\*\*\*\*\*' Will Win 2024 GOP Primary](https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/alex-christy/2022/11/17/meyers-wonders-which-will-win-2024-gop-primary)** > > Wednesday marked the eighth say since Election Day 2022, but NBC Late Night host Seth Meyers used it to get an early start on his 2024 commentary. Regarding a possible Donald Trump versus Ron DeSantis primary, Meyers admitted he did not know which... ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2024, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desantiss-war-on-disney/963073/389 "2024-03-27T16:24:16Z")
It’s not quite clear to me what the settlement agreement means but my feeling is that De Santis won? [https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/4559406-disney-desantis-board-settlement-florida/](https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/4559406-disney-desantis-board-settlement-florida/) > [@](#): > > The agreement reached Wednesday stipulates that development plans approved by the previous board before DeSantis took over would be “null and void.” Disney has also agreed to dismiss a separate state case involving public records. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2024, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desantiss-war-on-disney/963073/390 "2024-03-27T17:22:22Z")
I had to read [another article](https://apnews.com/article/disney-florida-ron-desantis-settlement-91040178ad4708939e621dd57bc5e494) or two and I’m still a bit unclear. Back when this started and DeSantis was planning to put his own people on Disney’s board, Disney rewrote it’s bylaws (rules? policies?) to reduce the amount of power the board has. If I understand what just happened, a judge reversed that and the board rules are reverted to how they were in 2020. But this still seems out of place “Jeff Vahle, the president of Walt Disney World Resort, said the company was pleased a settlement had been reached.” Is this ruling part of a bigger case? At this point I don’t remember how many layers deep\* we are and how many of those layers involve lawsuits. \*Desantis says don’t say gay Disney wants to say gay Desantis decides to take over their board Disney neuters the board. Desantis sues to un-neuter the board. Disney un neuters the board. Is that about where we are? I believe I floated an idea before, but I’ll float it again. I think Disney should start quietly putting out some feelers looking for any large plots of land in some of the neighboring states. I think a large number of Floridians might not be to thrilled at the thought of losing such a huge tourist attraction. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2024, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desantiss-war-on-disney/963073/391 "2024-03-27T17:28:44Z")
Here’s CNN’s coverage. Looks like both sides got something: [https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/27/business/desantis-disney-fight-reaches-settlement/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/27/business/desantis-disney-fight-reaches-settlement/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2024, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desantiss-war-on-disney/963073/392 "2024-03-27T19:22:19Z")
> [@](#): > > Separately, in January a federal judge [dismissed a lawsuit](https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/31/business/judge-dismisses-disneys-lawsuit-against-desantis/index.html) Disney filed accusing DeSantis of weaponizing his political power to punish the company for exercising its right to free speech. Disney quickly [filed an appeal](https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/01/business/disney-appeals-desantis-lawsuit-dismissal/index.html), but it will now put that on hold “pending negotiations” on a new development deal, among other matters, with the district. If I were Disney, I’d definitely keep that one simmering on the back burner. Seems like a slam dunk—DeSantis put it his book, for Pete’s sake. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2024, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desantiss-war-on-disney/963073/393 "2024-03-27T21:28:50Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > \*Desantis says don’t say gay > Disney wants to say gay > Desantis decides to take over their board > Disney neuters the board. > Desantis sues to un-neuter the board. > Disney un neuters the board. It wasn’t Disney’s board of directors, it was the local government authority that was taken over. Imagine if you badmouthed your governor and in turn he replaced your city council with cronies and told them to raise your taxes & utilities and slow walk any future zoning requests, building permits, etc. Disney tried to make a last minute deal with the old tax authority giving them the right to govern themselves for 30 years. The incoming authority (‘board of tourism’ or something) said that deal is null and void. _That_ is the issue now being settled. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2024, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desantiss-war-on-disney/963073/394 "2024-03-27T23:07:01Z")
My read is that DeSantils realized that antagonizing one of the top income streams into the state and sending millions of tourists to California was a bad idea and so told his hand picked board to back off and give Disney what they wants. Disney for its part gets things going back to normal, and can concentrate on more important things. So DeSanits can claim to his base that he beat Disney, and Disney no longer has to deal with an antagonistic board, and both sides can quit spending millions on lawyers. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2024, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desantiss-war-on-disney/963073/395 "2024-04-01T14:21:23Z")
Another take on it, more derisive of DeSantis: > **[Ron DeSantis Claims Victory Over Disney And All He Had To Do Was Give Disney...](https://abovethelaw.com/2024/03/ron-desantis-disney-settlement/?utm_campaign=Above%20the%20Law%20Daily&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=300407225&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9oOM4fTNGJpNRXCdv4pIsP96jhmb1aOX2QNjApR2bpRrerqBP8lSRSCfz6V4Nqpuuds-tVjdHuiPRc011rLwqaAAN2Uw&utm_content=300407225&utm_source=hs_email)** > > This doesn't read like much of a win. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2024, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desantiss-war-on-disney/963073/396 "2024-04-01T17:27:43Z")
Great article and summary. Thanks for posting. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desantiss-war-on-disney/963073.md?page=19)