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Glen Gilzean finds himself in a complex ethical dilemma as he holds the positions of both the chair of Florida’s ethics commission and the new administrator of Walt Disney World’s governing district.
This predicament is primarily due to a Florida law that explicitly bars public employees from concurrently serving as members of the ethics commission. The primary function of the ethics commission revolves around establishing and upholding ethical standards for individuals in public employment while also investigating any instances of misconduct or breaches of these standards.
Gilzean’s appointment as the administrator of the Walt Disney World governing district was driven by his affiliation with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, suggesting a political connection between the two.
This appointment came as a response to Disney’s public opposition to a legislative proposal championed by DeSantis and other Republican lawmakers, notably the contentious “Don’t Say Gay” legislation, which relates to discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity in school settings.
It’s noteworthy that members of the ethics commission do not receive any financial compensation for their service, in contrast to Gilzean’s lucrative $400,000 annual salary in his role as the administrator of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, which falls under the public employment category.
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The ethical quandary reached a turning point when Gilzean sought legal guidance from the ethics commission’s lawyer regarding the feasibility of simultaneously holding both positions.
The legal opinion, issued by Steven Zuilkowski, the commission’s general counsel, concluded that maintaining Gilzean’s public employment while being a part of the ethics commission is incongruous and inconsistent with the commission’s mandate.
This scenario is emblematic of a broader and more intricate conflict that has emerged between Governor Ron DeSantis and Disney. This clash stems from Disney’s stance against legislation prohibiting certain classroom discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity, which prompted retaliatory actions from DeSantis.
In response to Disney’s opposition, DeSantis took legislative measures to assume control of the governing district overseeing Disney World, appointing new supervisors to manage its services.
This dispute has escalated into a series of legal battles. Disney filed a federal lawsuit asserting that DeSantis violated the company’s free speech rights. Concurrently, the governing district initiated a state-level lawsuit against Disney in an effort to nullify prior agreements that could constrain the new supervisors’ authority. Both parties have requested legal rulings in their favor, illustrating the intensity of the disagreement.
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Source: AP
