Donald Trump’s team is heating up an attack against Gov. Ron DeSantis over legislation passed reshaping Disney World’s governing district.
“President Trump wrote ‘Art of the Deal’ and brokered Middle East peace. Ron DeSantis just got out-negotiated by Mickey Mouse,” said Trump ally Taylor Budowich, following news that Disney World’s state-picked government board is anticipating a legal battle against Disney after losing some of its power.
Gov. Ron DeSantis handpicked five new board members to take over the Disney World government last month. It was payback for Disney speaking out against the controversial Parental Rights in Education law that’s been dubbed as the “Don’t Say Gay” law by critics.
But at Wednesday’s meeting, the new board members said the old board made a 30-year development agreement with Disney just before the state-controlled board took over that stripped them of much of their power.
“We’re going to have to deal with it and correct it,” said board member Brian Aungst Jr., the Orlando Sentinel reported. “It’s a subversion of the will of the voters and the Legislature and the Governor. It completely circumvents the authority of this board to govern.”
He went on to say, according to WESH, “I can’t think of a more naked attempt to circumvent the will of the voters and the will of the Florida Legislature. … That is offensive to me.”
Disney World argued it hadn’t done anything wrong in making the agreements.
“All agreements signed between Disney and the district were appropriate and were discussed and approved in open, noticed public forums in compliance with Florida’s Government in the Sunshine law,” the company said in a media statement.
DeSantis spokeswoman Taryn Fenske said the agreements could be void.
“The Executive Office of the Governor is aware of Disney’s last-ditch efforts to execute contracts just before ratifying the new law that transfers rights and authorities from the former Reedy Creek Improvement District to Disney. An initial review suggests these agreements may have significant legal infirmities that would render the contracts void as a matter of law,” she said in a statement. “We are pleased the new Governor-appointed board retained multiple financial and legal firms to conduct audits and investigate Disney’s past behavior.”
Disney World’s new government board vowed to fight Disney in court and voted to hire a conservative Washington law firm that’s been defending DeSantis’ culture war battles, the Sentinel reported.
Martin Garcia, the board’s new Chair, warned of “protracted litigation” and said he thought the case might go up to the U.S. Supreme Court, according to WESH.
The Orlando Sentinel reported the district’s attorneys said the agreement “allows Disney to build projects at the highest density and the right to sell or assign those development rights to other district landowners without the board having any say.”
It was only the second meeting of Disney World’s government since DeSantis appointed new members and the board’s name was changed from Reedy Creek Improvement District to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.
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