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☆ Disney has a ‘strong case’ against DeSantis over his ‘retaliatory campaign,’ First Amendment experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Disney just cast Ron DeSantis as the villain in a story of good versus evil. DeSantis responded to the lawsuit by issuing a statement through his communications director, Taryn Fenske. “It’s a serious First Amendment case,” Floyd Abrams, the renowned First Amendment attorney of Pentagon Papers fame, told me. The truth is that characterizing Disney as a creepy company that aims to morally bankrupt kids has become a mainstream position in GOP media circles. DeSantis knows this — which is why he was happy to pick this battle with the company.

[1/2] Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks at the 2023 NHGOP Amos Tuck Dinner in Manchester, New Hampshire, U.S., April 14, 2023. REUTERS/Brian SnyderApril 26 (Reuters) - In his face-off with Walt Disney Co (DIS.N), Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has frequently adopted the pose of a swaggering gunfighter out of the Wild West. “There’s a new sheriff in town,” DeSantis boasts to conservative audiences nationwide as he prepares to launch his 2024 presidential bid. But as his clash with Disney escalates, so does the political risk for DeSantis and his nascent campaign. Billionaire Ken Griffin of Citadel Securities last year remarked that DeSantis’ actions amounted to “retaliation against corporate America.”“The war with Disney made some sense for a time in the context of Governor DeSantis’ presidential aspirations.

April 26 (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) sued Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis on Wednesday, asking a court to overturn state efforts to control the Walt Disney World theme parks and intensifying a battle between a global entertainment giant and a potential White House contender. A DeSantis spokesman called Disney's action "an unfortunate example of their hope to undermine the will of Florida voters." Disney also argues it was denied its First Amendment rights to free speech. State Republicans last year targeted Disney after it publicly clashed with DeSantis. But before the takeover by DeSantis' appointees, Disney pushed through changes to the special tax district agreement that limit the board's action for decades.

☆ Disney's Bob Iger is going nuclear on Ron DeSantis
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Madeline Berg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Disney's Bob Iger escalated the conflict between the company and Florida's Ron DeSantis on Wednesday. It's the latest move in a feud that began last year over Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill. Buckle up for a roller coaster ride, because the feud between Disney's CEO Bob Iger and Florida's Ron DeSantis just got bumpier. This is the latest — and most drastic — move in the clash between DeSantis and Iger, who inherited the battle with Disney from his predecessor Bob Chapek. Spokespeople for both Disney and DeSantis declined to give any additional comment.

Disney alleges that DeSantis tried to "weaponize government power" over the company. It alleges that DeSantis' continued action against Disney "threatens Disney's business operations." Ron DeSantis on Wednesday, alleging that he tried to "weaponize government power" over the company. As retaliation to the Disney executives' pledges, DeSantis took aim at a decades-long provision that gives Disney special self-governing privileges in Florida. Unlike rival parks Universal Studios and Sea World, Disney doesn't have to run their plans by zoning commissions or building-inspection departments.

☆ Kamala Harris swipes at DeSantis using his 'vanguard of freedom' quote, on the governor's home turf, as she announces new moves on abortion pill
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

said Harris, who didn't use DeSantis' name but was quoting directly from his 2022 State of the State address. The vice president, who has been at the forefront voice for the administration's on abortion rights, announced that President Joe Biden would be signing a memorandum to make abortion pills easier to access. Sunday would have marked the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruling that guaranteed a national right to abortion. Wilfredo Lee/AP PhotoFlorida has other ways of expanding abortion rightsAbortion rights proved to be a liability for Republicans in the November midterms. Reproductive rights groups are working to put the issue of abortion before Florida voters through a 2024 ballot measure.

☆ Kamala Harris swipes at DeSantis using his 'vanguard of freedom' inauguration quote, on the governor's home turf, as she announces new moves on abortion pill
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

said Harris, who didn't use DeSantis' name but was quoting directly from his January 3 inauguration speech. The vice president, who has been at the forefront voice for the administration's on abortion rights, announced that President Joe Biden would be signing a memorandum to make abortion pills easier to access. Sunday would have marked the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruling that guaranteed a national right to abortion. Wilfredo Lee/AP PhotoFlorida has other ways of expanding abortion rightsAbortion rights proved to be a liability for Republicans in the November midterms. Reproductive rights groups are working to put the issue of abortion before Florida voters through a 2024 ballot measure.

☆ DeSantis' latest education plan targets teachers' unions by ending automatic dues in favor of monthly mailed-in checks
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

DeSantis' latest so-called "Freedom Blueprint" proposal appears similar to a measure the Florida legislature considered in 2021 and 2022 that the state's largest teachers' union, the Florida Education Association, called "anti-freedom" and "anti-educator." Even Charlie Crist, a former congressman and DeSantis' failed 2022 challenger, picked Miami-Dade's teachers' union boss, Karla Hernández-Mats, as his running mate. State lawmakers and the governor gave teachers bonuses this past year and increased pay — though largely among new teachers, according to the Florida Education Association. DeSantis acknowledged during his speech that changes to union dues might emaciate the labor groups, but said if teachers aren't paying dues then they should be decertified. The last two versions of the anti-union died in committee under opposition from Florida AFL-CIO and the Florida Education Association.

☆ Florida no longer looks like a swing state after DeSantis, Rubio lead big Republican wins
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Once considered the nation's biggest swing state, Florida is looking more and more like a Republican stronghold. The state's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, and Sen. Marco Rubio both glided to victory against their respective Democratic opponents. The number of active registered Republican voters, meanwhile, rose to 5,259,406 in the same period — a gain of more than 150,000. In this month's midterms, older Florida voters came out in droves, while young voters stayed home, NBC's exit polls show. And the GOP extended its gains in the Florida state Legislature, clinching supermajorities in both chambers.

Those were among the driving questions leading up to the midterm elections about Latino voters. Latino voters have long had themes attached to them for elections. Greg Abbott, who declared he would get more than half of Texas' Hispanic vote, finished with 40 percent, 2 percent less than in his last election. That helped create a "bridge opportunity" with Latino voters, said Sanchez, also a University of New Mexico political science professor. George W. Bush was elected with 35% of the Latino vote and did even better in getting re-elected with 40% of the Latino vote.

Share this -Link copiedWisconsin Senate race too close to call Wisconsin's Senate race between GOP Sen. Ron Johnson and Democrat Mandela Barnes is too close to call, NBC News says. Vance wins Ohio Senate race, defeating Democrat Tim Ryan, NBC News projects COLUMBUS, Ohio — J.D. Ohio Republican Senate candidate J.D. Vance is leading The Senate race in Ohio is too early to call, NBC News says, but Republican candidate J.D. Share this -Link copiedGeorgia Senate race too close to call Georgia's Senate race is too close to call about three hours after polls closed at 7 p.m.

☆ Voters approve higher minimum wage in Nebraska and Washington, DC. Votes still being tallied in Nevada
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Activists demonstrate in support of a $15-per-hour minimum wage and tips for restaurant workers in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 8, 2022. Voters in both Nebraska and the District of Columbia on Tuesday approved higher minimum wages, while the results in a similar Nevada ballot measure are still pending. And Nebraska voters supported Initiative 433, which increases the state's minimum wage to $15 per hour, up from $9 per hour, by 2026. The minimum wage will adjust annually based on inflation after 2026. But if approved, the minimum wage would rise to $12 per hour by 2024, up from $9.50 or $10.50 per hour, depending on health insurance benefits.

☆ Some felons who are allowed to vote are staying away from the polls because they're afraid of being arrested, Florida lawmaker says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-29 | by ( Taiyler Simone Mitchell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In 2018, Florida granted formerly incarcerated individuals the right to vote, with some exceptions. Some individuals who said they thought they were allowed to vote were arrested in August. The data aligns with a New York Times report that said people who are poor and Black are more likely to be jailed for voter fraud than retirees. Republicans frequently sound the alarm over concerns of voter fraud, including in Florida, where former President Donald Trump won and where three seniors in a pro-Trump elderly community were also charged with voter fraud last year. But in stark contrast to Trump's claims that the 2020 election was stolen, The Associated Press identified less than 500 instances of voter fraud during the 2020 election cycle.

☆ Who is Ron DeSantis? 15 Florida Voters Discuss. - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Patrick Healy | Adrian J. Rivera | Mr. Healy Is The Deputy Opinion Editor. Mr. Rivera Is An Editorial Assistant In Opinion. | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Ron DeSantis that captivates Florida conservatives but also draws a measure of respect from some people there who vote Democratic? To be sure, plenty of Democrats can’t stand Mr. DeSantis, who is up for re-election next month and is widely seen as a top-tier Republican presidential candidate in 2024. We decided to hold our latest Times Opinion focus group with 15 Florida voters from across the political spectrum, so people beyond the state can better understand Mr. DeSantis and get a stronger handle on this possible future national leader. One participant who voted for President Biden but likes Mr. DeSantis said, “I felt that the Democrats had their chance. The group participants largely seemed to see Mr. DeSantis’s re-election as a done deal; it’s what will likely happen afterward that thrilled or chilled them the most.

☆ Legal consequences are murky for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis after he flew migrants to Martha's Vineyard
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Nicole Gaudiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Former federal prosecutors say criminal laws may have been broken during the transport of migrants. Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy PolicyFormer federal prosecutors say Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis may have broken criminal laws when he sent Venezuelan migrants from Texas to Martha's Vineyard. Levin said one possibility is human trafficking laws, even though he said those statutes are intended for cases of sex trafficking or human trafficking for profit. "Whether a federal prosecutor's office or a state prosecutor's office is going to go forward with that kind of charge against a sitting governor, we'll see," she said.

☆ Democratic divide in Florida: DeSantis challenger to rally with Biden, but Senate candidate won't
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Marc Caputo | Natasha Korecki | Marc Caputo Is A Senior National Political Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

MIAMI — President Joe Biden is coming to Florida next week to campaign with Charlie Crist as he tries to unseat Gov. But Democratic Senate candidate Val Demings won’t be there Tuesday to meet the president in her hometown, Orlando. In Florida, Crist has a tougher race on his hands than Demings. A Suffolk University poll, conducted for USA Today and released Wednesday, drove home the differences between the two Florida Democrats. President Biden knows that, which is why he is coming and why I’m proud to welcome him.”NBC News has asked the White House for comment.

☆ Florida Republicans prefer Ron DeSantis for president over Donald Trump in 2024, poll shows
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Republicans in Florida would prefer DeSantis over Trump for a 2024 White House ticket. According to a USA Today/Suffolk University poll published Wednesday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis leads former President Donald Trump 48% to 40% in a hypothetical 2024 presidential primary. The USA Today/Suffolk University poll projected DeSantis would win reelection by a 7-point lead of 48% to 41%. The USA Today/Suffolk University poll found Trump would beat Biden in Florida 47% to 44% in a hypothetical matchup.

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