“Our timing was not ideal,” Diaz said in a statement. “We also recognize that we can do more and more in our fight for freedom and fairness. In that spirit, the Florida Democratic Party will choose new dates and places to hold Leadership Blue. We will share information about new arrangements once we have explored available options. .
LGBTQ supporters and company officials have criticized Disney for not taking an early stance against a “parenting rights in education” bill – called the “Don’t Say Gay” measure by opponents – recently voted down by the Florida Legislature, which included classroom instructions from prohibits sexual orientation. or gender identity for young school children. Democratic lawmakers were strongly opposed to the measure, and Disney did not publicly oppose it until the GOP-led legislature approved it and the company faced enormous pressure to act.
The party’s decision to plan its fundraising events at Disney has angered many Democrats.
“Disney is on the front page of every newspaper,” said Stephen Gaskill, president of the Florida Democratic LGBTQ Caucus, who said he was “pissed” when he found out. “It’s just inconceivable that the Florida Democratic Party would be unknown when planning the event.”
“There are a lot of hotels in Florida,” Gaskill said. “There is no magic to this event at Orlando or at Disney.”
The wrong move for Democrats comes at a time when Democrats are already moving and losing relevance in what was once one of the nation’s most prominent battlefield states.. Democrats lost their voter registration advantage over Republicans in Florida late last year and nowhere near the money the GOP has.
The fight in the Florida Democratic Party also highlights how controversial Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill has become. Opponents of the bill, including President Joe Biden, have condemned the legislation as an attack on LGBTQ students, warning that it could bully or even commit suicide. Proponents, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, argue that parents should be given more control and information about their children’s education. There are at least nine other states considering similar measures, including Arizona and Tennessee.
In particular, Disney CEO Bob Chapek has been repeatedly criticized for desperately trying to handle the fallout over the bill only after its passage, despite a surge among staff and others that the company should publicly condemn the bill. Disney, which has a flagship amusement park in Orlando, employs at least 70,000 people in Florida.
State Rep. Anna Eskamani, an Orlando Democrat, said she understands Democrats have used Disney hotels in the past because they are union workers. But she pointed out that even before the recent controversy, most of Disney’s political donations had gone to Republicans in Florida. Disney has agreed to stop all political donations in Florida over the “Parental Rights in Education” bill.
“It’s giving the impression that Florida Democrats are not watching the news,” said Eskamani, who said she would boycott the event as long as it remained at Disney. “Hopefully, the party will change the location.”
A Democratic adviser called the decision to hold the fundraiser at Disney – which was first reported by NBC News – an “unforeseen mistake” that would put candidates and donors in an “impossible position”.
Gaskill also pointed out that the event is scheduled for mid-June at the same time as the Pride Month celebrations will be held, including a grand one planned at Wilton Manors the same weekend. The date of the conference – June 17 to June 19 – also falls on Juneteenth, the day commemorating the freedom of the enslaved people at the end of the Civil War.
A Disney spokeswoman did not respond to questions, even though the company planned to donate hotel rooms and parking tickets to Democrats as it has done in the past.
The controversy is another mistake for Diazwhose stewardship of the party already at the end of his first year at work showed signs of tension.
Diaz spent his first year clearing out significant debts he inherited. The financial situation was so dire that it called for redundancies in early 2021. However, at the end of last year, he approached an employer to strengthen field operations well ahead of the election.
Last December, the party planned a “Leadership Blue” fundraiser at the same time as most Senate Democrats were in Las Vegas. The party also went so far as to announce that House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, the South Carolina Democrat whose support has helped Joe Biden’s campaign, was the keynote speaker so that hardly any media appeared.
Two Democrats running for governor on Tuesday also weighed in on the beer conflict. The Rep. Charlie Crist (D-Fla.) Tweeted that “it is prudent for the party to consider other options” while Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried called on others in the party to boycott the event.
“The Disney response to the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill was lazy, short-sighted and at best disappointing,” Fried said in a statement. “If the Democratic Party holds the Leadership Blue Gala at Disney, and the Disney leadership no longer takes the lead in fighting hatred, I will not participate.”
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