DeSantis Versus Disney: How Liberals Learned to Love Crony Capitalism

Once upon a time progressives were outraged at the corporate welfare that the state of Florida and local government entities showered on Disney over the years.

A sign near an entranceway to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., on May 22, 2023. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Commentary

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has a major legal victory in his pocket. A federal district judge dismissed a lawsuit by the Disney corporation challenging the state of Florida’s efforts to wrest back control of the sweetheart-deal special improvement district that Disney had carved out for itself in 1967 when it created the Walt Disney World governing district.