Breaking: Former South Carolina Governor and GOP Presidential Candidate Nikki Haley Backs Disney In Lawsuit Against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis

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The California-based Disney company filed a lawsuit against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in federal court on Wednesday alleging that the governor and “his hand-picked board” violated the company’s First Amendment rights when they retaliated against them. 

The lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of Florida, came within minutes of the governor-appointed board voting to invalidate agreements giving Disney authority over its Florida-based Walt Disney World properties. 

“This government action was patently retaliatory, patently anti-business, and patently unconstitutional,” the 77-page lawsuit reads. 

“But the Governor and his allies have made clear they do not care and will not stop.”

“Disney now is forced to defend itself against a State weaponizing its power to inflict political punishment,” the lawsuit states.

GOP presidential candidate, Nikki Haley, took the opportunity to go after Governor DeSantis, a likely opponent in the Republican primary. 

“Hey @Disney, my home state will happily accept your 70,000+ jobs if you want to leave Florida. We’ve got great weather, great people, and it’s always a great day in South Carolina!” Haley tweeted, adding a video of her Fox News appearance discussing the issue.

“SC’s not woke, but we’re not sanctimonious about it either,” she added.

Haley’s attack on DeSantis may have won her points with liberals or some faction of the Republican party, but many conservatives who disagree with Disney’s tactics voiced their displeasure with her statement on Twitter.

“Whoever on your team thinks this is a good tweet, fire them,” commented actor Matthew Marsden.

“According to @NikkiHaley, it’s ‘sanctimonious’ for parents to fight Disney for control of their children’s classrooms,” tweeted gun rights advocate Dana Loesch.

“What an absolutely terrible, abysmal take and tone. It’s one thing to quibble with methods used in public policy, but something else to suggest a stand against Disney’s indoctrination of kids is sanctimonious. Such a disappointment,” commented Kristen Waggoner, CEO of the Alliance Defending Freedom.

“Quit pandering to be Trump’s VP, you’re better than that. This is pathetic,” another comment read.

“Nothing says ‘in it to win it’ like appropriating and popularizing the frontrunner’s sophomoric nickname for the most viable alternative to the frontrunner in the race,” responded Noah Rothman of National Review.

DeSantis’ team responded to the lawsuit with the following statement to CNBC:

“We are unaware of any legal right that a company has to operate its own government or maintain special privileges not held by other businesses in the state,” said spokesperson Taryn Fenske.

“This lawsuit is yet another unfortunate example of their hope to undermine the will of the Florida voters and operate outside the bounds of the law,” she added.

The battle between Disney and Gov. DeSantis began when Disney publicly criticized the “Parental Rights in Education” bill.

Opponents of the bill called it the “Don’t Say Gay” bill as it prohibits teachers from teaching children in K-3 classrooms about gender identity and sexual orientation.

The fact that a company that caters to children would be in favor of “grooming” young children is quite concerning, as is a GOP candidate taking its side in this battle.