Disney, one of the most influential companies in Florida and a major campaign donor, is pausing all political contributions in the state following a messy, public dispute with Gov. Ron DeSantis over House Bill 1557, which critics have dubbed the “Don’t say gay” bill.
The company’s CEO, Bob Chapek, made the announcement in a message Friday to all employees, “but especially our LGBTQ+ community.” In it, he apologized for not speaking out sooner against the bill and said the company would review its advocacy policies.
Disney sent a copy of the message, titled, “The Allyship You Deserve,” to the Tampa Bay Times upon request.
“Thank you to all who have reached out to me sharing your pain, frustration and sadness over the company’s response to the Florida ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill. Speaking to you, reading your messages, and meeting with you have helped me better understand how painful our silence was,” the message reads. “It is clear that this is not just an issue about a bill in Florida, but instead yet another challenge to basic human rights. You needed me to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I let you down. I am sorry.”
The donation freeze is the latest move in what has become a tense clash between DeSantis, who is widely considered a 2024 presidential contender and has publicly said he supports the bill, and Disney, a multibillion-dollar company that wields massive clout as one of the top employers in the state. State lawmakers revealed in interviews Friday that the company had lobbied behind the scenes to try to stop or alter the bill during the legislative session.
In addition to the pause on Florida political contributions, Chapek also wrote that the company would “immediately” be “increasing our support for advocacy groups to combat similar legislation in other states.” State lawmakers in Georgia recently introduced a bill modeled after Florida’s, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Disney has been…