Florida’s governor is asking a federal court to dismiss the company’s First Amendment lawsuit against him, and Disney is seeking emails, text messages and other communications from the office of the governor, who was initially appointed by DeSantis, in a separate state court lawsuit Filed by someone from the Walt Disney World jurisdiction.
The legal filings mark an escalation in the entertainment giant’s battle with DeSantis, a candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.The confrontation began last year when Disney publicly opposed State Law Banning classroom lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in lower grades, DeSantis retaliated by taking over the management district that provides municipal services to the 25,000-acre (10,117 hectare) Disney World theme park resort in Florida.
Disney sues DeSantis federal courtclaimed the governor violated his free speech rights by punishing him for expressing his opposition to the law.
On Thursday, DeSantis and the Central Florida Tourism Supervisory District, a regulatory district made up of DeSantis appointees, asked a federal judge to dismiss Disney’s First Amendment lawsuit, calling it baseless and a “reinstatement of its The last effort of the corporate kingdom.”
“While Disney has made headlines for suing the governor, Disney, like many previous litigants challenging Florida law, has no basis for doing so,” DeSantis’ motion states.
Meanwhile, management districts now controlled by DeSantis appointees have sued Disney state court. The lawsuit seeks to invalidate a prior agreement reached before DeSantis appointees took over that transferred control of design and construction from the school district to Disney and prohibited the district from using the likenesses or other intellectual property rights of Disney characters without Disney’s permission. Disney countersued, including asking a state court to declare the agreements valid and enforceable. The company on Thursday amended those counterclaims, saying districts controlled by DeSantis violated the U.S. Constitution’s provisions on contracts and due process.
Disney also sent notices to DeSantis’ office requesting internal communications, including text messages and emails, as well as documents regarding the district’s comprehensive plan, development agreements and legislation that would transfer control of the district to DeSantis. A subpoena will be issued requiring the governor’s office to turn over the materials to Disney’s attorneys by October 27, the notice said.
Disney lawyers have also issued subpoena notices to others, including similar districts in Florida. Disney wants to show that the way it informs the public about the agreement that strips DeSantis allies of design and construction powers is consistent with what other districts are doing. DeSantis allies believe one of the reasons the agreements should be invalidated is that they were not properly publicized.
Responding to requests for communications and documents, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District said some of Disney’s requests were “overbroad, unduly oppressive and inappropriate for fishing expeditions.”
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