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Lawmaker Threatens a ‘Living Hell’ for Disney as LGBTQ Feud Intensifies

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The Walt Disney Co.’s proclamation that it will somehow force an overturn of Florida’s “Parental Rights in Education” bill that Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law on Monday could mean the loss of government perks that will lead to “a living hell” for the company best known for family-friendly theme parks and movies, state Representative Anthony Sabatini told Newsweek on Friday.

Sabatini enthusiastically voted in favor of House Bill 1557, which critics call the “Don’t Say Gay” law, in February and has been one of its highest-profile proponents ever since Disney issued a March 28 decree saying its “goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts.”

In response, some lawmakers are threatening to reverse government favors that have benefited Disney since 1967, when Florida created something called the “Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID).” This gave Disney taxing and other privileges and allowed it to “act with the same authority and responsibility as a county government,” a favor that made sense to politicians at the time since Disney was promising to turn 38.5 square miles of “largely uninhabited pasture and swampland into a global destination,” according to the RCID website.

“When Disney purchased land for its theme parks, it pushed through laws that said it was self-governing,” Sabatini told Newsweek. “They have their own police and fire departments and could even have their own nuclear power plant if they wished. If it were up to me, I’d call a special session and Disney would lose all of it. If they’re governed by local authorities, it’s not going to be pretty for them—they’ll be subject to all sorts of crazy taxes, rules and regulations. It will make life a living hell for them. They’ll be regulated like everybody else.”

DeSantis, in fact, signaled during a Thursday press conference that he’s open to the idea of reversing special privileges that had been carved out for Disney, though repealing corporate state tax breaks are off the table since all businesses qualify for them. DeSantis said he’d be in favor of not allowing Disney “to have their own set of rules compared to everybody else.” (Read more from “Florida Lawmaker Threatens a ‘Living Hell’ for Disney as LGBTQ Feud Intensifies” HERE)

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Tulsi Gabbard Blasts Government Schools Teaching ‘Woke Sexual Values’

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Former Democratic presidential candidate and Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is coming out in support of Florida’s Parental Rights bill and says the legislation doesn’t go far enough.

“We should all support the Parental Rights in Education bill that recently passed in Florida which very simply bans government and government schools from indoctrinating woke sexual values in our schools to a captive audience. A captive audience that by law is required to attend,” Gabbard said. “But as I read the legislation I was shocked to learn that it only protect kids from kindergarten to third grade. Third grade? What about twelfth grade? Or not at all?”

(Read more from “Tulsi Gabbard Blasts Government Schools Teaching ‘Woke Sexual Values’” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

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Biden Administration Will ‘Monitor’ Florida’s New Parental Rights Bill (VIDEO)

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White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield made a rare appearance at the daily press briefing Tuesday afternoon and told reporters the Department of Education will monitor the implementation of Florida’s new Parental Rights in Education bill.

“The Department of Education…will monitor this law upon implementation to evaluate whether it violates federal civil rights law,” Bedingfield said.

The Parental Rights in Education bill bars the instruction of sexual education or orientation to children younger than eight years old and is supported by the majority of Americans, including Democrats. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the bill into law this week and blasted critics for misrepresenting its purpose.

(Read more from “Biden Administration Will ‘Monitor’ Florida’s New Parental Rights Bill (VIDEO)” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

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Majority Of Florida *Democrats* Support GOP ‘Parental Rights’ Bill

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A new poll shows that Florida Democrat voters support the Republican Legislature’s “Parental Rights in Education” bill, despite a campaign from the radical left to falsely label it the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

The bill, which passed the Florida House in early March, would order that a “school district may not encourage classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.” Despite the outcry from Democrats and journalists, the bill does not mention “gay” or any specific sexuality.

NBC News reporter Marc Caputo drew attention to a poll in a Twitter thread on Thursday from Floridians for Economic Advancement, which found that Florida Democrat primary voters support the bill 52 percent to 36 percent. The survey structured its question similarly to how the actual bill is written, asking respondents: “Should students in Kindergarten through 3rd Grade be taught about sexual orientation in the classroom by their teachers?”

Caputo posted a slide from the poll, which was originally covered in a Florida Politics article — though Caputo called out the publication for omitting the question about the bill from its story.

“Poll shows FL DEMOCRATIC primary voters support the GOP Legislature’s “Parental Rights”/LGBT education bill by 52-36%. FL Capitol Dems opposed it & made it a top messaging priority. (This is unmentioned for some reason in the story I QTd. This poll jibes w/others I’ve seen),” he wrote.

(Read more from “Majority Of Florida *Democrats* Support GOP ‘Parental Rights’ Bill” HERE)

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These Cities Had the Highest Rent Hikes Last Month

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Rents continue to rage across the nation — especially in the white-hot Sunshine State.

Florida had three of the top 10 metro areas with the steepest rent hikes in February, more than any other state.

A Redfin study found that rents in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach each popped by 30 percent in February compared to the same month last year.

Austin topped the list with a staggering 40 percent rise in rental costs in February, followed by Portland at 39 percent.

New York City continued to see rebounding rents last month and placed third with a spike of 36 percent compared to last year. (Read more from “These Cities Had the Highest Rent Hikes Last Month” HERE)

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Disney Employees Among 108 Arrested in Human Trafficking Sting: Police

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. . .The six-day undercover operation dubbed “Operation March Sadness 2” began March 8 and resulted in 108 arrests, according to a sheriff’s office news release. Four suspects are Disney employees, the sheriff’s office said

“Xavier Jackson, 27, worked as a lifeguard at the Polynesian Resort for Walt Disney. Judd said Jackson sent inappropriate photos of himself and messages to an undercover detective who pretended to be a 14-year-old girl. He was charged with three counts of transmitting harmful material to a minor and one count of unlawful communication,” CBS News reports.

“The three others, who were allegedly attempting to solicit a prostitute, were identified by Judd as Wilkason Fidele, 24, who worked at the Cosmic Restaurant at Walt Disney World’s Tomorrowland for four years; Shubham Malave, 27, who is on a visa citizenship from India and worked as a software developer for Disney; and Ralph Leese, 45, who spent nearly four years working in IT for Disney,” the report reads. (Read more from “Disney Employees Among 108 Arrested in Human Trafficking Sting: Police” HERE)

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Marvel Denounces Florida’s So-Called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill

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Marvel Studios is speaking out against Florida’s controversial HB 1557 “Parental Rights In Education Bill,” which critics have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill despite the measure not including that word in the text.

Marvel’s statement against the bill, which passed the Florida senate Tuesday, echoes what other entertainment corporations including Disney have said publicly about the bill. . .

The bill is being called discriminatory and dangerous, however many critics and even news outlets are misrepresenting the provisions within the text. In reality, HB 1557 bans teachers from discussing topics related to sexual orientation or gender identity with students in elementary school from kindergarten until after third grade. It does not ban students from discussing those topics.

Ron DeSantis has signaled that he supports the bill. (Read more from “Marvel Denounces Florida’s So-Called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill” HERE)

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Disney CEO: “Basic Human Right” to Indoctrinate Children with Transgenderism, Homosexuality

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Disney CEO Bob Chapek issued a rare mea culpa Friday, following two weeks of criticism over the company’s response to Florida’s controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

In full damage-control mode, Chapek said via a memo to staff: “Speaking to you, reading your messages, and meeting with you have helped me better understand how painful our silence was,” he wrote. “It is clear that this is not just an issue about a bill in Florida, but instead yet another challenge to basic human rights.” . . .

At Disney’s annual shareholder meeting Wednesday, Chapek said Disney was opposed to the bill and had been fighting it behind the scenes to no avail. . .

To make matters worse, Chapek’s boss, chairman of Disney General Entertainment Content Peter Rice, told The Hollywood Reporter after the shareholder meeting that “the law is a new and painful iteration of a history of discrimination against an already vulnerable group.”

“Personally, I see this law as a violation of fundamental human rights, and I condemn any attempt to marginalize individuals on the basis of their identity,” he continued. “I appreciate that Bob recognized that we must do more to support the LGBTQ+ community.” (Read more from “Disney CEO: “Basic Human Right” to Indoctrinate Children With Transgenderism, Homosexuality” HERE)

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Dems Furious Over Bill Banning Sexual Orientation Discussions for 5 Year Olds

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Democrats and members of the establishment media are falsely claiming that the parental rights bill, passed by the Florida Senate on Tuesday, is “homophobic” and “reprehensible” in nature, despite the fact that it simply states that classroom discussions on sexual orientation or gender identity are prohibited for children kindergarten through third grade.

The Florida Senate passed the Parental Rights in Education bill on Tuesday, triggering further outcry from Democrat and far-left activists, who had falsely labeled the measure the “Don’t Say Gay bill. In actuality, the bill simply prohibits classroom discussions on any sexual orientation or identity for children in kindergarten through third grade. It does not single out any specific word, including the word “gay,” despite the left’s false framing.

“Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards,” the bill’s text reads in part:

Despite that, Democrats are expressing outrage over the measure, which is now sits on Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R) desk. Meanwhile, establishment media outlets are continuing to peddle the “Don’t Say Gay” myth in their framing of the news.

The Democrats, specifically, called the bill — banning classroom discussions on sexual orientation from 5-year-olds — a “reprehensible assault on children’s safety, mental health, protection, and freedom”:

(Read more from “Dems Furious Over Bill Banning Sexual Orientation Discussions for 5 Year Olds” HERE)

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Congressman Becomes the 31st Democrat to Announce His Retirement Ahead of 2022 Midterms

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Democratic Florida Rep. Ted Deutch announced Monday that he will not seek re-election, making him the 31st Democrat to announce they would be retiring ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.

Deutch is leaving Congress to take on a job in a senior leadership position with the American Jewish Committee, CBS Miami first reported. The American Jewish Committee “is the leading global Jewish advocacy organization. From city halls to Capitol Hill, at the UN and in world capitals, AJC works to impact policy and opinion on some of the most important issues facing the Jewish people,” its website states.

“After serving the public for more than 15 years, I have decided I will not seek re-election this November. Public service was instilled in me by my father who earned a Purple Heart in the Battle of the Bulge, and it has been a tremendous privilege to serve the people of Palm Beach and Broward Counties in Congress since 2010. I am incredibly grateful to my constituents for their support and friendship,” Deutch said in a statement. (Read more from “Congressman Becomes the 31st Democrat to Announce His Retirement Ahead of 2022 Midterms” HERE)

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