ORLANDO, Fla. — Attorneys for Gov. Ron DeSantis, a state company and his appointees to a revamped board that governs Disney World are asking a decide to dismiss a federal lawsuit wherein Disney claims its free speech rights had been violated by the takeover of its governing district. The lawsuit states this occurred in retaliation for Disney’s opposition to the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” laws championed by the Florida governor.
Attorneys for DeSantis, the secretary of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and the DeSantis appointees to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District filed motions Monday asking that Disney’s lawsuit in federal courtroom in Tallahassee both be dismissed, placed on maintain or that they be dropped as defendants.
The federal courtroom lacks jurisdiction over the Republican governor and the state company’s secretary, who’re resistant to the lawsuit, and the governor and secretary don’t implement any of the legal guidelines at challenge so Disney lacks standing to pursue its claims, attorneys for the state of Florida argued of their movement to dismiss.
The movement additionally argues that DeSantis has legislative immunity which protects him from actions taken whereas conducting “legitimate legislative activity.”
“Although Disney has grabbed headlines by suing the Governor, Disney – like many litigants before it who have challenged Florida’s laws – has no basis for doing so,” the movement states.
In their movement, the DeSantis’ appointees to the Disney World governing board requested a federal decide to both dismiss the case or put it on maintain till after among the similar points raised within the federal lawsuit are resolved in state courtroom the place the board has a lawsuit pending towards Disney.
The DeSantis appointees took over the Disney World governing board earlier this yr following a yearlong feud between the corporate and DeSantis. The combat started final yr after Disney, beset by vital stress internally and externally, publicly opposed a state legislation banning classroom classes on sexual orientation and gender identification in early grades, a coverage critics name “Don’t Say Gay.”
As punishment, DeSantis took over the district by means of laws handed by Florida lawmakers and appointed a brand new board of supervisors to supervise municipal companies for the sprawling theme parks and inns. But earlier than the brand new board got here in, the corporate made agreements with earlier oversight board members who had been Disney supporters that stripped the brand new supervisors of their authority over design and building.
In response, DeSantis and Florida lawmakers handed laws that repealed these agreements.
Disney sued DeSantis and the five-member board, asking a federal decide to void the governor’s takeover of the theme park district, in addition to the oversight board’s actions, on the grounds they had been violations of the corporate’s free speech rights.
The board sued Disney in state courtroom in an effort to take care of its management of building and design at Disney World.
DeSantis, who introduced his marketing campaign for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination in May, has used the combat with Disney to burnish his “anti-woke” credentials and reveal his capability to push a conservative agenda.
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