Ron DeSantis is clinging to the Bud Light controversy as he continues to try to play on conservative bigotry to win political favor across the United States.
The Florida governor went so far as to launch an inquiry into the beer’s parent company, AB InBev, questioning whether their partnership with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney resulted in a failure to follow its fiduciary duty to shareholders.
“AB InBev’s performance has plummeted since its decision to associate its Bud Light brand with radical social ideologies,” he wrote in a letter to the State Board of Administration, shared to his Twitter last week. “It appears to me that AB InBev may have breached legal duties owed to its shareholders, and that shareholder action may be both appropriate and necessary.”
He added in his tweet that “All options are on the table and woke corporations that put ideology ahead of returns should be on notice.”
The idea that bigots can use fearmongering tactics to create a widespread boycott of a product because a single person belonging to a group they don’t like was asked to advertise it to her audience, lower stock prices, and then use that outcome to turn around and investigate the company itself is disturbing. It also feels like something in opposition to the claim that Republicans stand for minimal government interference, but that hypocrisy is nothing new, and certainly not to DeSantis.
This particular investigation comes as he remains embroiled in a lawsuit filed by Disney after the company accused his administration of political retaliation following criticism of his “Don’t Say Gay” law. A lawsuit also appears to be on the table here, as the presidential candidate told Fox News “there’s got to penalties when you put business aside to focus on your social agenda at the expense of hardworking people.”
Adam Schiff (L), Letitia James (C), and James Comey (R) — all political opponents of Trump indicted or investigated on dubious accusations.Sheila Fitzgerald/Shuttershock.com; lev radin/Shuttershock.com; mark reinstein/Shuttershock.com
PFLAG National CEO Brian K. Bond and Edith Guffey, chair of the PFLAG National board of directors.Paul Morigi/Getty Images for PFLAG National
Former Massachusetts U.S. Rep. Barney Frank addressing a crowd at a PFLAG event.Paul Morigi/Getty Images for PFLAG National
U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters talks about her relationship with former U.S. Rep. Barney Frank.Paul Morigi/Getty Images for PFLAG National
U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters accepting a PFLAG award.Paul Morigi/Getty Images for PFLAG National
Former Rep. Barney Frank and Kathleen Sengstock.Paul Morigi/Getty Images for PFLAG National
Rep. Maxine Waters and PFLAG National CEO Brian K. Bond.Paul Morigi/Getty Images for PFLAG National
L-R: Jim McGreevey, Jolanda Jones, Erica DeusoJamie McCarthy/Getty Images; Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images; ericadeuso.com
