DeSantis in 2013 urged Republicans to fight against ‘special deals’ for big corporations

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (FLV) – As Gov. Ron DeSantis’ war with Disney continues, with the latest battle being a power struggle between his newly appointed board and the company in Central Florida, the governor’s rapid response team is pushing back on claims DeSantis’ positions are only limited to companies he doesn’t like.

The DeSantis War Room published a video depicting then-Rep. Ron DeSantis calling out “corporate welfare” and “special deals” in 2013.

“I also think we can look at some of this crony capitalism,” he said on Fox News. “We’re viewed Republicans as the party of the rich. I don’t think there’s any reason why we should do that. We shouldn’t want banks or big corporations getting special deals.”

“So I think if we come up with a new outlook, we may not be able to get it through with Barack Obama as president, but we’re setting the stage for this stuff to be implemented down the road,” he said.

“Ron DeSantis’ fight against corporate welfare didn’t start with Disney,” the DeSantis War Room said. “He’s stood against cronyism and special interests since his earliest days in politics.”

At a press conference in Lake Buena Vista on Monday, the governor said the Florida Legislature will pass a new law that revokes a last-minute, far-reaching agreement between Disney and the former Reedy Creek board that hampers the authority of the new board.

The governor called it a “sham agreement.”

“They negotiated with themselves to give themselves the ability to maintain their self-governing status,” DeSantis said. “Now that’s in direct defiance of the will of the people.”

Last year, at the beginning of the Disney dispute, DeSantis expressed some rationale as to why he went after Disney.

The battle began when the California-based corporation stated intentions to get involved in attacking Republican lawmakers and opposing a law that prevents young children from being taught about sexual orientation and gender identity.

The bill was falsely described as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

“I am not comfortable having one company with their own government and special privileges when that company has pledged itself to attacking the parents in my state when that company has people very high up talking about injecting pansexualism into programming for young kids,” DeSantis said. “It’s wrong. Walt Disney would not want that.”

At the Monday press conference, DeSantis noted that much of what lawmakers are now looking into doing, which involves the board potentially developing the district land amid the last-minute deals that hampered their authority, would not have been considered if Disney ‘went quietly.’

“Everyone should have to play by the same rules. This change proposed by the legislature and the governor makes sense.”