Bob Iger Chides Ron DeSantis: Do You Want Our Biz, Taxes Or Not?; Slams Florida Governor’s “False Narrative” & Retaliation Over Don’t Say Gay Response

deadline.com:

“Does the state want us to invest more, employ more and pay more taxes or not?” Disney CEO Bob Iger rhetorically asked today of the on-going attacks on the Mouse House by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. “There’s ..

a false narrative that we’ve been fighting to protect tax breaks as part of this,’ the politically savvy executive added of the on-going war of words in the media and the courts with the would-be 2024 White House candidate. “But in fact, we’re the largest taxpayer in Central Florida paying over $1.1 billion in state and local taxes last year alone.” “This is about one thing and one thing only, and that’s retaliating against us for taking a position about pending legislation,” Iger also noted of Disney’s initially fumbling response to Florida’s discriminating Don’t Say Gay law. “And we believe that in as taking that position, we’re merely exercising our right to free speech,” the CEO went on to say echoing language he has used before in the battle with DeSantis.

With Iger’s remarks today in mind, the latest chapter of the Disney-DeSantis feud likely will be settled in the courts, at least to some degree.

The company last month sued the governor, claiming that he’s been on a campaign of retribution after Disney publicly opposed a parental rights bill, often dubbed the “don’t say gay” law.