ORLANDO—Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointees for Walt Disney World’s management district released a series of reports Wednesday justifying their acquisitions and stating that their Disney-controlled predecessors were “in modern American history.” “This is part of the most egregious display of corporate nepotism in the world.”
A report commissioned by the Florida Governor’s appointee to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD) is the latest salvo in the ongoing legal and public battle between Disney and DeSantis over who will manage the district. became. The management organization provides planning, mosquito control, fire suppression and other municipal services for the approximately 40 square miles of central Florida that make up Disney World.
“Disney put out a fairy tale that the previous government was a model of good governance. This audit shows that is not true,” David Thompson, an attorney hired by the district, told the board Wednesday. mentioned in. “The previous model was definitely a failure.”
The feud began last year when Disney announced that the state’s Parental Rights in Education Act (also known as the “Don’t Say It’s Gay” bill) banned classroom lessons about sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades. It started with opposition to. The legislation was supported by DeSantis, who is running for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. In retaliation, Mr. DeSantis and Republican lawmakers took over the district that Disney had controlled for more than 50 years and installed five board members loyal to the governor.
Disney, DeSantis and the district filed suit in state and federal court. A hearing in a federal lawsuit accusing Disney of violating the company’s free speech rights is scheduled for next week.
In a statement, Disney called the new report “historical revisionism.”
“This is neither objective nor reliable and is merely an attempt to advance CFTOD’s interests in a futile lawsuit that has the potential to inhibit investment in the district,” the company said. “Furthermore, the fact remains that the CFTOD Board was appointed by the Governor to punish Disney for exercising its constitutional right to free speech.”
Disney also said in a statement that the report was released as DeSantis-friendly district governments face accusations of nepotism and mismanagement. More than 10% of the district’s 370 employees have quit their jobs since the takeover, and many said in exit interviews that the district had become politicized and is now steeped in nepotism.
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Bridget Ziegler, one of DeSantis’ board appointees, also recently came under fire after a woman made rape accusations against her husband, Florida Republican Party Chairman Christian Ziegler. Beyond the possibility of criminal charges against Christian Ziegler, the Moms for Liberty co-founder and his wife have continued to fight with his accusers despite publicly fighting for LGBTQ+ rights. He has been accused of being a hypocrite for admitting to a sexual relationship. .
Bridget Ziegler, who is also a member of the Sarasota County Board of Education, attended Wednesday’s meeting remotely. When Debbie MacDonald, who lives in the Celebration neighborhood, said in public comment that Ziegler’s hypocrisy should lead to her being disqualified as a council member, her board members expressed concern for her situation. Didn’t mention it directly.
District spokesman Matthew O’Barry said in an email Wednesday that there is no change in Ziegler’s status at this time.
A major report prepared by the school district for Mr. DeSantis and members of Congress questioned the way the government was run prior to the acquisition, presented the appearance of a conflict of interest, and argued that Disney was a “corporate subsidiary” of Disney rather than an independent governing body. It is claimed that spread.
According to a major report, Disney cultivated its workforce through free annual passes to its theme parks and deep discounts worth millions of dollars each year. The new board cut that benefit earlier this year.
The district’s new administrator, Glenn Gilzean, told employees they must pay $2 million in unpaid season pass taxes. However, he said in the memo that the district told the IRS it would cover the unpaid taxes.
“It seemed unfair that a good employee would be awarded thousands of dollars in compensation,” Gilzean said at Wednesday’s meeting.
The major report also describes the government, run by Disney loyalists, as “an entity that fomented its rise and protected corporate supremacy at the expense of the public interest.”
“The revelations are, in a word, shocking,” the report said.
By Mike Schneider, Associated Press. Follow Mike Schneider on X: @MikeSchneiderAP.