Governor Ron DeSantis was in Lake Buena Vista today to announce a new bill in the Florida Legislature that will revoke the last minute deal Disney put in place before power was taken from them.
"We have a government of laws, not a government of men," said DeSantis in regard to the law he signed last year removing the self-governing status of Disney. "That includes the law being superior to big corporations. Even corporations as big and powerful as Walt Disney Company. They are not superior to the laws that are enacted by the People of the State of Florida. They are going to live under the same laws as everyone else."
But the previous board tried to pull a fast one on their way out the door.
"Having a State-controlled board over this district makes sure the debts are being paid by the corporation who racked them up. That was done. It allowed us to have the state now in charge of this special district with five members appointed by the governor. That was done, passed, signed," said DeSantis on Disney's home turf today. "While this was happening, Disney basically did special deals to circumvent that whole process. They negotiated with themselves to give themselves the ability to maintain their self governing status. This is in direct defiance to the will of the people of Florida."
DeSantis chastised the media who have been hissing at him since the last-minute deal was announced saying he was "outsmarted by Disney" and misleading people by claiming the law he signed would lead to higher taxes.
"They thought they could create some type of development agreement that could render everything we did null and void. That's not going to work. That's not going to fly," said DeSantis.
DeSantis said the last-minute deal worked out by Disney is legally flawed and the State board should declare it void. But in case they don't the Legislature will take action.
"The agreements themselves have a plethora of legal infirmities that render them void anyway. I think our State board which meets again on Wednesday will find as such. I fully expect them to take the board out of those agreements. However, even if that weren't the case, Chapter 163, Section 3241 of the Florida Statutes provides the Legislature with the authority to revoke development agreements in this exact type of instance."
DeSantis says he is working with the Legislature to revoke the last-minute deal made by Disney that will also exempt the monorail system from safety inspections.
"I've worked with both leaders of the house and senate. There is a bill that will be put out in the Florida Legislature that will make sure that the agreements purported to be entered into by Disney are revoked and the people's will is established and upheld," said DeSantis to applause.
DeSantis suggested the new board make a rule that nobody in the district can be forced to wear a mask.
"Disney clung to forcing these young kids to wear masks forever. I think that the district would be within its right to say that anyone who is a patron of any business in this district has the right to do it mask free. You should not be required to do a mask or any of these medical authoritarian policies."
DeSantis said the new board that governs Disney will have the right to ban mask mandates at all of Disney's parks and properties.
"You will see a lot of action from the board in coming weeks," said DeSantis. "The larger issue is who governs in a Republic and I think it's 'We the People' under the Constitution. That's the only answer. When you have entities that put themselves above it I don't think that's healthy."
"Trying to pass an 11th hour deal in the middle of the night. The legislature is appalled by this. You will hear in the days to come action we will take," said State Representative Fred Hawkins.
"They have pushed far left narratives in our state and they don't think the rules apply to them. I have a message for Disney. This is not woke California. This is the Free State of Florida. In Florida you don't get to indoctrinate our kids or write your own rules. Like our great Governor said. Florida is where Woke Goes to Die," declared State Rep. Carolina Amesty.
Florida State Senator Blaise Ingoglia slammed Disney's self-governing status.
"They were their own government. That's an egregious form of government welfare. We took away that power and returned it to the people and put everyone on a level playing field."
Ingoglia ended with a quote from the Disney movie "Frozen".
"You are not going to win this fight. This Governor will. One word of advice to Disney: Just let it go."
