2023-04-27 11:38:02
JERUSALEM (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday downplayed a Disney lawsuit once morest him, saying it is politically motivated and that it is time the iconic company stopped having preferential treatment in his state. .
Disney sued DeSantis on Wednesday following the Republican appointed a board of supervisors for the theme park district that was previously run by the firm autonomously, accusing the governor of waging a “targeted campaign of government retaliation” following the company company to oppose a law known as “Don’t Say Gay” by its critics.
The lawsuit follows more than a year of disputes between Disney and DeSantis, which has drawn criticism of the governor as he prepares to launch a 2024 presidential campaign.
“They are upset because they have to live by the same rules as everyone else. They don’t want to pay the same taxes as everyone else and they want to be able to control things without proper oversight,” DeSantis said during a visit to Israel. “The days of putting a company on a pedestal without accountability are over in the state of Florida.”
DeSantis is on the third leg of an international tour aimed at bolstering his foreign policy credentials ahead of a possible run for the Republican nomination for president, in which he would be a major rival to former President Donald Trump.
DeSantis has entered fully into the feud with Disney, a major source of tourism and employment in Florida. The controversy has earned him criticism and has been intertwined with the debate on the principles of conservative politics.
The conflict began last year following Disney, under considerable pressure, publicly opposed a state law that barred school lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in the lower grades, a move notorious for critical voices. like “Don’t say gay”.
DeSantis then took control of the Disney World district, which was operating autonomously, and appointed a new board of supervisors to handle municipal services at the theme parks. But before the board got to work, the company imposed a last-minute new agreement that stripped supervisors of much of their authority.
Disney’s lawsuit asks a federal judge to strike down the governor’s intervention over the district and the actions of the DeSantis-appointed oversight board, saying they violate the company’s free speech rights.
In a speech at a conference at the Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem, DeSantis laid out his political vision for the Middle East and spoke regarding the importance of the US-Israel alliance. He said Israel is the only authority that can protect religious freedom for all in volatile Jerusalem and gave his approval to the move of the US embassy to the city during Trump’s term, despite opposition from the Palestinians.
He also reiterated his opposition to the international deal that was intended to limit Iran’s nuclear program, saying it empowered the country’s rulers instead of keeping them in check. The nuclear deal was approved during Obama’s tenure. His successor, Trump, withdrew the United States from the pact.
DeSantis pointed out that Washington should not interfere in the way Israel chooses to be governed, a direct criticism of President Joe Biden, who has raised concerns regarding a controversial judicial reform proposal by the Israeli government.
DeSantis began his international tour in Japan and later traveled to South Korea. After Israel he plans to head to Britain.
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Goldenberg reported from Tel Aviv, Israel.
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