TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday called for an investigation into the actions of the Reedy Creek Improvement Board, which beforehand oversaw Disney World’s sprawling topic park operations in Orlando, as the panel’s energy was slipping away.
In a letter to the state Chief Inspector General Melinda Miguel, the governor reported a review of the board’s choice to sign a new deal that effectively strips the recently designed board of meaningful electric power, was warranted.
“Any authorized or ethical violations should be referred to the suitable authorities,” he wrote in the letter.
The dispute amongst DeSantis and Disney started when the firm criticized Florida’s so-called “Really don’t Say Gay” legislation. The evaluate bars instruction on sexual orientation and gender identification in kindergarten by 3rd quality, as properly as classes considered not age-correct.
In response, Florida lawmakers handed, and DeSantis signed, legislation revamping the government-like board that oversees Walt Disney World’s 27,000-acre home outside the house Orlando.
Amongst the modifications the legislation produced was that the Florida governor bought to choose the 5 supervisors of the governing board as an alternative of it getting managed by Disney, as it had been in its past 55 several years.
By having on Disney, DeSantis attempted to more his standing as a society warrior willing to fight perceived political enemies and wield the electric power of state govt to accomplish political ambitions, a system that is expected to carry on in advance of his potential White Residence operate.
But the DeSantis-appointed supervisors mentioned very last 7 days at the second assembly of the revamped board that their predecessors experienced pulled a rapid just one on them by passing restrictive covenants that strip the new board of most of its powers.
DeSantis on Monday questioned Florida’s chief inspector common to start an investigation into the steps of the past board.
“Disney is yet again battling to preserve its unique company positive aspects and dodge Florida legislation,” DeSantis spokesman Jeremy Redfern reported in an electronic mail. “We are not going to let that materialize. As Governor DeSantis lately stated, ‘You ain’t found very little however.'”
Disney CEO Bob Iger reported Monday that any retaliatory steps by DeSantis and the GOP-managed Florida Legislature towards the organization that threaten jobs or growth at its Florida vacation resort is not only “anti-business enterprise but anti-Florida.”
He manufactured that remark while answering a query all through an on-line shareholders’ assembly.
The Involved Press contributed to this report.
