Florida Republicans Threaten Disney With Legal Retribution For Condemning 'Don't Say Gay' Law
The Hollywood Reporter.Florida lawmakers, led by Governor Ron DeSantis, are now threatening to roll back the Reedy Creek Improvement Act of 1967 which gives the company authority to govern itself, including the ability to impose taxes, provide emergency services, and adopt ordinances on the land it owns for its operations in the state.And that’s not all.
According to Popular Information, politicians in Washington D.C., including Indiana Congressman Jim Banks along with 16 other GOP members, are saying they won’t support the extension of the copyright for Mickey Mouse, efforts that some are calling political blackmail.This is all despite Disney pledging $300,000 to politicians who backed “Don’t Say Gay” and that it only publically condemned the law after it passed and under massive pressure from its LGBTQ+ employees, including public call-outs on social media and walkouts.Disney CEO Bob Chapek’s initial response to the then-bill was that the company would essentially be staying out of the fight — continue to donate to politicians who supported the bill while also “creating a more inclusive world is through the inspiring content we produce, the welcoming culture we create here, and the diverse community organizations we support, including those representing the LGBTQ+ community.” Following the backlash from within the company for this stance, Chapek issued a company-wide memo stating, “Speaking to you, reading your messages, and meeting with you have helped me better understand how painful our silence was.
It is clear that this is not just an issue about a bill in Florida, but instead yet another challenge to basic human rights.
