Disney vs. Ron DeSantis: Why the Media Giant’s Fight Over ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Keeps Escalating

variety.com:

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterDisney’s mishandling of the “Don’t Say Gay” controversy has turned into an ongoing problem in Florida, as its unique role in state politics now faces scrutiny from critics on both the left and right.Gov.

Ron DeSantis has led the attacks, saying it was time to reevaluate the “special privileges” the company has received over the decades, including its wholly controlled fief, known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District.

Disney is also taking heat from the left end of the political spectrum, which also has concerns over corporate influence, and is mad at the company for its generous donations to Republican politicians, including DeSantis.It adds up to major headaches for the company’s three dozen lobbyists in Tallahassee, one of whom was quoted by NBC News blaming the Disney’s woes on “a total s— show response by corporate.” Disney is the state’s largest single-site employer, with 70,000 employees at its Orlando theme parks, and it is broadly popular in the state.

That has led some observers to conclude that — whatever the governor might say — the company’s interests in Florida are not in serious jeopardy.“I saw it as a shot across the bow,” said Richard Foglesong, author of “Married to the Mouse: Walt Disney World and Orlando,” and a close observer of the political dynamics in Florida. “I assumed it would blow over.