Democratic lawmaker trolls Ron DeSantis with bill to get Disney to leave Florida

A North Carolina lawmaker has filed a bill to explore enticing Disney to ditch the culture wars of Florida and move to the Tar Heel State.

State Sen. Michael Garrett (D) has introduced the “Mickey’s Freedom Restoration Act,” which asks for $750,000 to create a “commission to develop a plan to attract family amusement parks to the state.”

Related:

Humiliated Ron DeSantis threatens to build a prison next to Disney as his revenge quest continues

Disney appeared unfazed, announcing a Pride Nite just after DeSantis made his threat.

The bill makes clear it is a direct response to the war Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has waged on Disney since the corporation spoke out against the state’s Don’t Say Gay law.

The bill states that North Carolina “has proven to be a stable and vibrant environment for businesses,” whereas “some state governments have recently begun to prioritize ‘culture war’ politics over economic development.”

Never Miss a Beat

Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights.

Sign Up

Daily

Weekly

Good News

Promotions (occasional)

The bill also mentions that Disney CEO Bob Iger “called actions taken by the state government of Florida ‘anti-business.'”

While introducing the bill, Garrett stated that “politicians who put their state’s economy at risk to boost their own selfish political ambitions are a liability. In North Carolina, we’ve learned this lesson the hard way. I welcome The Walt Disney Company and all other businesses seeking refuge from the culture war madness currently gripping the great state of Florida.”

DeSantis has been widely criticized for his petty vendetta against Disney as he continues to seek ways to punish the corporation for exercising its right to free speech and disagreeing with him.

The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board recently pointed out the danger of DeSantis’s quest for revenge, considering Disney is the backbone of the Florida economy. Garrett’s bill proves that DeSantis could indeed be risking the economic health of his state.

“If Disney executives had responded to DeSantis in the same vengeful vein — by pulling back even a small fraction of the resources the company has invested in Florida — the economic wreckage could have been massive,” the board wrote.

As DeSantis’s vendetta against Disney continues, so too does his war against the LGBTQ+ community. And his culture wars are impacting the state in more ways than one.

DeSantis’s ruthless campaign against LGBTQ+ youth in his state has led more than half of LGBTQ+ parents to consider leaving the state, according to a survey from the Williams Institute. The situation has become so bad that earlier this month, Florida’s preeminent LGBTQ+ rights organization issued an official travel warning to LGBTQ+ people considering visiting the state.