Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to veto legislation setting aside $35 million for the Tampa Bay Rays’ spring training facility after the team made an openly political endorsement of gun control following the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
News of DeSantis’ decision was broken by OutKick, a sports media company, earlier this afternoon. The outlet said the move came as a direct result of the baseball team’s brazenly political endorsement of gun control on Twitter.
On Twitter the sports team revealed that it donated $50,000 to Everytown for Gun Safety, a gun control organization that was formed in an event featuring former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and openly supports banning “assault weapons.” The professional baseball team also urged its fans to donate to gun control groups.
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) May 26, 2022
If DeSantis moves forward with the veto, it could signal the potential 2024 presidential contender is willing to take on more high profile companies that wade into the American culture war.
The move comes amid DeSantis’ ongoing feud with Disney, which broke from the Republican governor after he signed a parental rights bill aimed at ending grooming in public schools.
Disney promised to spend millions fighting the Florida law, and DeSantis responded by instructing the Florida legislature to reexamine Disney’s special autonomous status at its theme park in the state. Despite the move meaning a large corporation could pay millions more in taxes, it was largely opposed by Democrats.
When the Florida House of Representatives ultimately passed legislation to strip Disney’s special tax status, Democrats were recorded wailing in anguish in the legislature.
Democrats in the Florida House of Representatives can be heard yelling & shrieking after lawmakers voted to remove Disney’s special tax status—a privilege it held for 55 years. Disney employs 38 lobbyists in Tallahassee & donates generously to politicians. pic.twitter.com/ak7rBbB2vw
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) April 21, 2022
While the feud is ongoing, Disney Chief Corporate Officer Geoff Morrell resigned in April after only being on the job for three months, potentially signalling there is discord among the company’s executives. Morrell was the first person to fill the COO role, and he was charged with “communications, government relations, public policy, philanthropy and environmental issues” for the company. Previously, he served as the Pentagon Press Secretary for Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
DeSantis frequently polls second to 45th President Donald Trump in 2024 Republican polls.
THE COPS
June 2, 2022 at 9:23 pm
I suppose, the next thing we’re going to “learn” from PHEWTUS is that the voice we ACTUALLY HEARD on the campaign bus in 2016 was “audioshopped”!…
https://bbc.in/3x6FkMi
https://bit.ly/2qFwqHx… and… https://bit.ly/3381gpu… and… https://bit.ly/2OEuxCM… and lastly, https://bit.ly/2s1bScG.
Was DJ Trump’s “Jane Doe justteen rape accuser” paid-off?… if so, then “Jane” should be charged for receiving a bribe, and Donald Trump for offering one!
AND, was Andrew’s “out-of-court” a “Seal” on Billy’s and PHEWTUS’ “haircombing involvement (the which, Gates and PHEWTUS would gladly fund to keep ‘Sealed’!)”?… and will “Max” live to expound her, “yet to be revealed– and hoped for– would-be DYSsalacious testimony/ testimonial (and life-threatening, as a ‘COUNTER DESEALING fund offer’ and an ‘OFFICIALLY PENNED early release offer’ by any number of ‘ANTI-GROOMING INTERESTS’ may pose a substantial threat to Billy and to PHEWTUS [or to PHEWTUS’ ‘WHITE House Fixers’, who want ‘their boy’ back on his ‘high horse {at least, somewhere near the rump!}’!]– and, ‘PURE’!)”?
C R R E E P!… and, BYE BYE BILLY!
Rocco Luka Gambinni
June 3, 2022 at 3:26 pm
You’re way off the subject, troll.
Jim
June 4, 2022 at 2:27 pm
What does your schtick have to do with this article other than showing your hate?
George Bill
June 3, 2022 at 9:46 am
Thank God for Ron Desantis, these far right politicians want to strip us of all protections for our family’s and control our bank accounts and every aspect of our lives. Well not in Florida, they will be fought on every level, and with the coming Depression none of this crap is going to fly, unless they want to separate the country into a Civil war, With hundreds of millions of guns in the hands of civilians who have been carrying longer that most cops it would be impossible to strip them all of what they have invested in their firearms which run from 500 to 5000 dollars each. This isn’t going to be allowed to happen, they don’t have th funds, a good AR can cost upwards of 2000+ dollars without the scope and accessories, who’s going to pay for this, It’s like someone coming in and taking your car as most shooters have several guns anywhere from 2-100. basically all their cash s in firearms and ammo over a 30-40 year period, these are not 100 dollar gun, and they don’t fire unless you pull the trigger each time. Plus does anyone think the killers out there who bought their guns on the black market are giving backk their guns, like they give back the money they stole?
HandsOff or HandsUp
June 3, 2022 at 1:23 pm
Thank God for the George Bill men who stand in defense of our great USA. You said it all, George… just a correction. It is the Far LEFT that is the problem, not the Right or even the Far Right.
The term Far LEFT is just a cover for true identity… Communists and Communism. Now, the term Democrat Party is a cover for Communists and Communism. Also, there is no such thing as Socialist or Socialism… they are covers waiting for the right moment to be unveiled… Communism and Communists.
Looks like that Senator back in the 50’s was a genius and saw what the devils were doing… too bad we were “too nice” to stomp them out of our country… maybe now… maybe now…
Gj46
June 3, 2022 at 2:18 pm
Not sure you have the correct political side. You said far right”. I disagree, it’s the woke Left, who wants to take our family protections away. Biden is the one who wants your guns.
LK
June 3, 2022 at 10:45 am
Steinberg, the Rays primary owner, is a fricking New Yorker. So, we would expect him to side with the Bloomberg Jewish Democrat alliance.
Jim Trimble
June 4, 2022 at 2:25 pm
If the team can afford to make political donations it can afford to pay its own way.