Disney CEO Bob Iger on Monday said any retaliatory actions by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature against the company that threaten jobs or expansion at its Florida resort is not only “anti-business but anti-Florida.”
Answering a question during an online shareholders' meeting, Iger said that the Republican governor and lawmakers appeared to be retaliating against the company for exercising its constitutional rights when Disney last year criticized Florida's nicknamed “Don't Say Gay” legislation. The measure bars instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, as well as lessons deemed not age-appropriate.
In response, Florida lawmakers passed, and DeSantis signed, legislation revamping the government-like board that oversees Walt Disney World's 27,000-acre (10,926-hectare) property outside Orlando. Among the changes the legislation made was that the Florida governor got to pick the five supervisors of the governing board instead of it being controlled by Disney, as it had been in its previous 55 years.
