SiriusXM’s Megyn Kelly put pressure on Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over Disney’s war with Bud Light in an interview published Friday.
DeSantis received Disney’s special grant to the entertainment giant in the Reedy Creek Improvement Act of 1967 in February, following Disney’s strong opposition to the state’s parental rights in education bill, which passed in March 2022. revoked all privileges and governmental positions. The bill banned classroom discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity. Kindergarten through 3rd grade.
The governor also announced a state investigation into Anheuser-Busch for promoting gender ideology. Bud Light sparked a backlash among conservatives for briefly partnering with self-identified transgender man and TikTok influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
“They sent cans of beer to this very controversial figure, upset the consumer, and the consumer voiced his opinion. How are we going to get involved?” Kelly asked.
“How does it contribute to shareholder and company value?” DeSantis asked.
“But how do you consider that?” Kelly asked.
“Because there are people in Florida who have been hurt by the company’s decline as a result. You know, these people are dependent on pensions,” the governor continued. “Disney, on a separate issue, has to say, ‘Corporations should do their job. have the opportunity to make a claim for damages.” (Related: Megyn Kelly asks DeSantis if he can forgive Trump)
DeSantis said Disney has “chased” Florida in passing parental rights legislation and fighting gender ideology. The company announced that it would use corporate resources granted through the Reedy Creek Improvement Act to support efforts to repeal the bill and fight back, so the DeSantis administration decided that the company would eventually “sexualize children.” I realized that I had too much power to allow
“I can’t control my own government, and I can’t be exempt from laws and taxes,” the governor said. “You’re going to live under the same laws as everyone else. You’ll be treated like SeaWorld, you’ll be treated like Universal. This is actually good policy and , it takes away corporate benefits and puts everyone on a level playing field.As a parent of a 6, 5, 3 year old, knowing that this company has benefits, I look in the mirror. Couldn’t see and these aren’t the benefits I gave them this is so many things it’s decades ago the direction they go with the kids I was doing so in consideration of
“I’m taking a line on protecting the kids. We’re going to protect the kids and we’re going to fight big business for that,” he continued.
Kelly later claimed to have admitted to punishing Disney for differing political views, a claim the governor threw back.
“But that would be acknowledging that they were punished by some states by you because of their political views,” Kelly said.
“It’s not punishment, it’s not punishment,” DeSantis said.
Kelly and DeSantis also quarreled over whether Disney could oppose the law without being “punished by the state.” DeSantis argued that the company could challenge the law but had no autonomy.
