Disney lawyers want to question the former administrator of the management district that provides municipal services to Walt Disney World as part of a defense against the state litigation Proposed by a committee appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Disney lawyers said in court documents Monday that they have subpoenaed John Classe, the former administrator of the Reedy Creek Improvement District for 55 years who earlier this year in DeSantis and the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature. The region was previously controlled by a Disney ally before the company spoke out against acquiring the region. State Lawinformally known as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, bans classroom lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in lower grades.
After the takeover, Classe was replaced by DeSantis allies, Glenn Gilzean.
Klass was in charge of the district when the governing body signed an agreement with Disney that handed over design and construction control of Disney World to the company and prohibited the district from using Disney characters’ likenesses or other intellectual property rights without Disney’s permission. The agreements were signed in February before DeSantis appointees took over the school district, and they claimed the contracts undermined their power. The appointees are currently suing Disney in state court in an attempt to invalidate the deals.
According to court documents filed Monday, Disney lawyers are seeking records from Classe including documents used to pass the contract, documents supporting the school district’s authority to enter into the contract and information about how the agreement was publicized. One of the arguments advanced by DeSantis appointees as to why these agreements should be invalidated is that they were not properly publicized.
Disney has filed counterclaims in the state lawsuit, including asking a state court to declare the agreements valid and enforceable. Disney has sent a notice to DeSantis’ office requesting internal communications, including text messages, emails and documents. DeSantis is currently running for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
Disney and DeSantis and his allies are also fighting in federal court, and the company has sued DeSantis, claim The governor violated his free speech rights by punishing companies for expressing opposition to the law. DeSantis and the Central Florida Tourism Supervisory District have asked a federal judge to dismiss Disney’s First Amendment lawsuit, calling it without merit.
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