The Orlando Magic basketball team recently made a generous contribution of $50,000 to Never Back Down Inc., a super PAC that actively supports Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a potential candidate for the Republican presidential nomination. The official receipt date stated on the Federal Election Commission’s website is June 26, 2023. However, a representative from the team claims that the donation was actually made on May 19, just a few days prior to DeSantis announcing his bid for president on May 24.
Joel Glass, the chief communications officer for the NBA team, clarified the timing of the donation, stating that it was given before Governor DeSantis officially entered the presidential race. The donation was made by the Orlando Magic as a Florida-based business, showing their support for a Florida governor and their commitment to the continued prosperity of Central Florida.
Never Back Down Inc. is solely dedicated to supporting Governor DeSantis’ presidential campaign, as stated on their website. Despite the team’s donation, no response has been received from a representative of the super PAC regarding this matter.
This is not the first time that the Orlando Magic has made political contributions. According to records from the Federal Election Commission, the team donated $500 to Conservative Results in May 2016, $2,000 to the conservative political action committee Maverick PAC USA in August 2014, and $500 in support of Democrat Linda Chapin’s unsuccessful congressional run in 2000.
It is important to note that the Orlando Magic is owned by the DeVos family, who are related by marriage to former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, a member of Donald Trump’s Cabinet. The current chair of the franchise is Dan DeVos, Betsy DeVos’ brother-in-law, who was reported by USA Today in 2020 to have made the third-largest political contribution among all sports team owners. This highlights the team’s significant involvement in political causes.
Furthermore, the Orlando Magic has a connection to the Disney Co., which is currently engaged in a legal dispute with Governor DeSantis due to the state’s anti-LGBTQ laws. While the team has shown support for the LGBTQ community by hosting public events, Disney and DeSantis have clashed as Disney opposes the governor’s “Don’t Say Gay” legislation. The company believes that their criticism has led to politically motivated retaliatory actions.
In response to the news of the Orlando Magic’s donation to DeSantis, former state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith expressed his concerns on Twitter, urging the team to “pick a side.” He pointed out that it is contradictory for the team to celebrate and support the LGBTQ community through events like Pride Night while also financially supporting a presidential candidate who opposes LGBTQ rights.
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