Disney sues DeSantis, alleges ‘campaign to weaponize government’

Apr 26, 2023

Mahmoud Bennett Reporter

By Mahmoud Bennett (Reporter), Jack Aylmer (Producer)

Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S., Inc. is suing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, following the state’s latest attempts to exert control over the company’s theme parks. On Wednesday, April 26, Disney filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, alleging that the governor has waged a “relentless campaign to weaponize government power.”

The complaint comes soon after the board of supervisors, picked by DeSantis to oversee Walt Disney World’s operations, moved to undo a development deal that it says Disney struck to thwart its power.

Disney is alleging “a targeted campaign of government retaliation – orchestrated at every step by Governor DeSantis as punishment for its protected speech,” according to the lawsuit.

The company claims that this “threatens its business operations, jeopardizes its economic future in the region, and violates its constitutional rights.”

The feud between DeSantis and Disney started in 2022 when the company publicly opposed a state law banning classroom discussion of sexuality and gender identity in younger school grades. DeSantis said that opposition crossed a line.

Gov. DeSantis is currently on an international trip overseas, and his office did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

Tags: Disney, Disney World, Florida, Lawsuit, Ron DeSantis

REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS IN FLORIDA ARE PUSHING FOR A CHANGE TO THE STATE’S LAW THAT WOULD ALLOW GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT *WITHOUT* HAVING TO RESIGN FROM HIS GOVERNOR POSITION

AND THE PUSH HAS SOME OPPONENTS URGING GOP FRONTRUNNER DONALD TRUMP TO SHOW UP IN TALLAHASSEE TO TRY AND KILL THE EFFORT

FOR CONTEXT, FLORIDA – LIKE 4 OTHER STATES – HAS RULES IN PLACE WHERE IF YOU’RE AN ELECTED OR APPOINTED OFFICIAL, YOU HAVE TO RESIGN FROM THAT POSITION IF YOU WANT TO RUN FOR ANOTHER OFFICE *THAT’S THE GIST OF IT WITH SOME ARGUABLY MURKY EXCEPTIONS*

NOW FLORIDA STATE LAWMAKERS HAVE INTRODUCED *THIS* LEGISLATION SO THAT THE RULE WOULD EXPLICITLY NOT APPLY TO QUOTE “PERSONS SEEKING THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT OR VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES… THE BILL STATES THE PROPOSED CHANGE IS INTENDED TO CLARIFY EXISTING LAW

THE EFFORT IS NOT UNIQUE – IN 2007 CHANGES TO THE SO CALLED RESIGN TO RUN LAW WERE MADE FOR THEN GOVERNOR CHARLIE CRIST TO SEEK THE VICE PRESIDENCY – BUT WAS LATER REVERSED IN 2018 PER POLITICO

MEANWHILE DONALD TRUMP SAYS DESANTIS …CAN’T HAVE HIS CAKE AND EAT IT – ACCUSING THE GOVERNOR OF WANTING TO QUOTE CAMPAIGN FULL-TIME FOR PRESIDENT, DURING THE FLORIDA LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHILE COLLECTING A SALARY AND HAVING THE TAXPAYERS PICK UP THE COSTS FOR HIS TRAVEL AND SECURITY

THIS WEEK DESANTIS WAS OVERSEAS SPEAKING WITH FOREIGN LEADERS AS PART OF AN INTERNATIONAL TRADE MISSION – HE SAID HE WON’T DECIDE ON A 2024 RUN UNTIL AFTER FLORIDA’S LEGISLATIVE SESSION ENDS IN THE FIRST WEEK OF MAY