Mar 11, 2022 - Economy

Disney to pause all political donations in Florida

Sara Fischer

Disney CEO Bob Chapek on Friday said the company would pause all political donations in the state of Florida, following a week of blowback surrounding the company’s initial decision to not speak out about Florida's so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill, which is close to becoming a law.

Why it matters: The handling of the issue frustrated employees at Disney. Staff at Disney-owned Pixar sent a letter to leadership Wednesday expressing their disappointment, saying "we hoped that our company would show up for us. But it didn't."

Details: In a letter to staff Friday, Chapek apologized and said feedback from employees, and "especially our LGBTQ+ community," helped him "better understand how painful our silence was."

"You needed me to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I let you down. I am sorry," 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."

Beginning immediately, Chapek said the company would pause all political donations in the state of Florida and increase its support for advocacy groups "to combat similar legislation in other states."

He also said Disney is "hard at work" creating a new framework for political giving "that will ensure our advocacy better reflects our values."

Go deeper: Disney's political drama

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Disney to pause all political donations in Florida

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