Former Disney CEO privately complained to DeSantis about 'pressure' from woke left amid Florida fight: book

EXCLUSIVE — As nan showdown betwixt Florida's legislature and The Walt Disney Company heated up complete an acquisition measure that wide activists incorrectly branded nan "Don't opportunity cheery bill," Disney's then-CEO called Gov. Ron DeSantis and complained astir nan "pressure" he faced.

DeSantis recounts nan speech successful a section of his caller memoir, "The Courage to beryllium Free: Florida's Blueprint for American Revival," which will beryllium released Tuesday by patient HarperCollins. The chapter, shared exclusively pinch Fox News Digital, reveals what Bob Chapek, who was Disney CEO astatine nan time, told DeSantis arsenic nan conflict complete Florida's acquisition law heated up successful nan outpouring of 2022.

"As nan contention complete nan Parental Rights successful Education measure was coming to a head, Chapek called me. He did not want Disney to get involved, but he was getting a batch of unit to measurement successful against nan bill," DeSantis writes.

"We get pressured each nan time," Chapek told DeSantis, according to nan governor's book. "But this clip is different. I haven’t seen thing for illustration this before."

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DeSantis recounts successful his memoir, "The Courage to beryllium Free," what happened down nan scenes successful nan conflict pinch Disney. (HarperCollins | Joseph Prezioso / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Chapek told shareholders that he had called DeSantis connected March 9 to impulse him not to motion nan bill, which restricts schools from school gender and sexuality to children successful kindergarten done 3rd grade. Activists nicknamed it nan "Don't opportunity cheery bill" contempt nan authorities not utilizing those terms.

"I called Gov. DeSantis this greeting to definitive our disappointment and interest that if nan authorities becomes law, it could beryllium utilized to unfairly target gay, lesbian, non-binary and transgender kids and families," Chapek said, according to FOX 35 Orlando.

According to a study from nan New York Post, Chapek had privately expressed his hesitancy to impact his institution successful nan governmental issues successful Florida, nan location of Disney World, successful nan months prior. But nan unit run wrong Disney and from Democrats nationwide yet convinced him return a stand.

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DeSantis, however, issued a warning: If Disney sewage progressive pinch nan legislation, "People for illustration maine will say, ‘Gee, really travel Disney has ne'er said thing astir China, wherever they make a fortune?’" DeSantis told Chapek.

The Florida politician said if Disney stayed retired of nan politics, Disney would look 48 hours of outrage erstwhile nan measure passed. "[And] erstwhile I motion it, you will get different 48 hours of outrage, mostly online,'" DeSantis said, adding, "Then location will beryllium immoderate caller outrage that nan woke mob will attraction connected and group will hide astir this issue, particularly considering nan outrage is directed astatine a political-media narrative, not nan existent matter of nan authorities itself."

DeSantis wrote that Chapek and Disney "ultimately caved to leftist media and activistic unit and pressed nan mendacious communicative against nan bill."

Bob Chapek, then-CEO of Disney, speaks during nan opening ceremonial of nan Invictus Games Orlando 2016. (Chris Jackson / Getty Images for Invictus / File)

After nan measure passed and DeSantis signed it into law, nan politician was amazed that Disney chose to "escalate nan battle" by vowing to conflict nan authorities successful nan courts. DeSantis signaled publically that he would beryllium consenting to reevaluate Disney's typical taxation territory and favorable firm agreements owed to their insistence connected "woke" governmental activism.

Other reports showed that Disney had been pushing messages that conservatives blasted arsenic "woke" — for illustration enforcing gender and sexuality messages successful movies and tv shows. A show shaper reportedly said connected a leaked Disney unit call that she had a "not-at-all concealed cheery agenda" and had been "adding queerness" to kid's programming.

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"Behind nan scenes, I was not, arsenic a begetter of children ages five, four, and two, comfortable pinch nan continuation of Disney’s typical arrangement," DeSantis wrote successful his memoir. "While nan Walt Disney Company and its executives had a correct to indulge successful woke activism, Florida did not person to spot nan institution connected a pedestal while they do so—especially erstwhile nan company’s activism impacted nan authorities of parents and nan well-being of children."

As Florida moved to strip Disney of its Reedy Creek territory and revoke nan company's self-governing status, DeSantis was amazed to spot left-wing voices broadside pinch a ample corporation. 

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"Even though Democrats often obstruction astir nan nefarious powerfulness exerted complete authorities by ample corporations, and supposedly reason typical carveouts for large companies, they each dutifully lined up successful support of keeping Disney’s typical self-governing status," he wrote.

Ron DeSantis cruised to reelection connected Nov. 8. (Octavio Jones / Getty Images)

Chapek near Disney precocious successful 2022, replaced by his predecessor, Bob Iger, who first near Disney successful 2020. At a Disney municipality hallway successful November, Iger told nan company, "Do I for illustration nan institution being embroiled successful controversy? Of people not. It tin beryllium distracting, and it tin person a antagonistic effect connected nan company. And to nan grade that I tin activity to benignant of quiet things down, I’m going to do that."

The instruction of nan Disney saga, according to DeSantis, is that successful an situation of "woke capital" wherever ample companies employment their power to beforehand left-wing governmental agendas, "old-guard firm Republicanism is not up to nan task astatine hand."

DeSantis' book intends to showcase his governing thesis that fighting for blimpish principles paid disconnected for Florida and could use different states and moreover nan full country. As a rumored 2024 statesmanlike hopeful, DeSantis has led erstwhile President Donald Trump successful a fewer early superior polls. He has not announced whether he will run.

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