The conflict between Governor Ron DeSantis and The Walt Disney Company has been ongoing and complicated. The two powerhouses continue to battle back and forth, both in and out of court, on various issues and topics. Today, attorneys for Gov. Ron DeSantis made a big push in one of the ongoing lawsuits.
Motion to Dismiss
Attorneys for Gov. Ron DeSantis are asking a federal judge to dismiss a free speech lawsuit that Disney filed. Disney filed the case following Florida’s governor’s take on Walt Disney World’s governing district.
Related: Disney Warns DeSantis Threatens First Amendment Rights
A hearing for this trial is set to be made in federal court in Tallahassee. During this hearing, first-time oral arguments will be made regarding Disney’s claim that DeSantis used his powers to punish Walt Disney World for their opposition to his state law banning classroom lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Disney states that their First Amendment rights were violated, allowing DeSantis to punish those with opposing viewpoints. “That premise is not just legally unsupported, it is profoundly un-American,” Disney said in court papers.
Attorneys for DeSantis claim he is immune from the lawsuit as he doesn’t enforce any of the laws that removed supervision of the government from Disney supporters.
Other Battles
The two sides are also fighting in state court regarding the control of what was the Reedy Creek Improvement District. Earlier this year, legislators passed a bill allowing the district to be taken over by connecting five board members to the governor.
The fight in the lawsuit is for who will continue to control the governing district that focuses on municipal services for the approximately 40 square miles that make up Walt Disney World.
We will have to wait and see if the judge will dismiss the free speech lawsuit, and until then, we hope this conflict won’t impact the overall magic Walt Disney World provides guests daily.
