The drama between the Walt Disney Company and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis continues.
Disney World entrance sign
The feud goes back to when Disney made statements against Florida’s Rights in Education law (called the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by critics). After that, DeSantis and Florida legislators dissolved Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District and replaced it with a new board that has made some controversial changes to the District since its installment. Disney fought back by filing a lawsuit in federal court, claiming that DeSantis’s motives were retaliatory against the company. Well, a federal judge has dismissed that lawsuit.
Although Disney claimed in the lawsuit that DeSantis was running a “relentless campaign to weaponize government power” against the Disney Company, DeSantis asked a federal judge to throw out the lawsuit. Bloomberg reports that US District Judge Allen Winsor has granted the Florida Governor’s motion to dismiss Disney’s lawsuit.
Reedy Creek
This ruling is a big setback for Disney in its ongoing battle with DeSantis. Disney also recently filed a suit against the new Reedy Creek board, now called the Central Florida Tourism Oversight Committee, claiming that the board failed to provide public records requested by Disney in May 2023. Withholding public records goes against both Florida and federal law.
©Central Florida Tourism Oversight Board
Meanwhile, Florida state legislators have voted in favor of a bill that would reverse DeSantis’s takeover of the Reedy Creek Improvement District. In the meantime, recent reports have called the new board dysfunctional with a number of employees leaving the district at a rapid pace. After those reports came out, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District canceled its final meeting of 2023.
Disney vs. DeSantis
However, a report released by the new board accused Disney of bribery and “egregious corporate cronyism” when it still controlled the district for previous perks offered to employees of the district, like park tickets and discounts. As we said, the situation is ongoing.
Cinderella Castle
According to NBC, a Disney spokesperson released a statement following the ruling — you can read it below:
“This is an important case with serious implications for the rule of law, and it will not end here. If left unchallenged, this would set a dangerous precedent and give license to states to weaponize their official powers to punish the expression of political viewpoints they disagree with. We are determined to press forward with our case.”
©Disney | Walt Disney Company Headquarters
With that statement, it sounds like Disney plans to appeal this latest decision, though, and we’ll certainly be keeping an eye on it to keep you updated. So stay tuned to DFB for more.
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Meatball Ron must have skipped his Constitutional Law Class at Law School.
Greg, Lawsuit filed by Disney against DeSantis was dismissed. I understand reading comprehension is hard but it would seem to me that would be a win for DeSantis. No?
Mickey should and probably will appeal. Ronnie’s manufactured little “board” is falling apart. Employees of what Reedy Creek have been leaving. The board has denied their employees many perks awarded by Disney since forever.
Everyone in Florida is ready for DeSatan to be DeHistory. Just about 25 more months!
Of course a Trump-appointed GOP judge was going to side with little Ronnie, is anyone that surprised? I am sure Disney was expecting this and had already had planned for an appeal. I wouldn’t be surprised if both sides take it all the way to the Supreme Court.
Good. Hopefully Disney will stay out of politics and stick to entertaining.
Really? Maybe Disney should concentrate on making Happy memories and keep the place “The most magical place on earth” rather than wasting money on these lawsuits! They are losing money left and right.
Greg….the meatball won the case. As Disney vows to fight and waste money, Universal is just chugging along under the State of Florida’s laws and regulations. Looks like they are doing Epic things over there.
I am glad that Bob Iger is keeping his word to quiet things down on the political wars. I guess filing new lawsuits is the definition of quieting things down in California.
I am glad Bob Iger is keeping his promises to quiet down the legal skirmishes with the State of Florida over the Culture War. I gather filing new lawsuits is the California definition of quieting things down.
Greg, I am not sure I follow your comments here. The federal judge in this case agreed with the State of Florida and dismissed Disney’s suit against Governor DeSantis. Although we are only at Round 1, this sounds like win for Governor DeSantis. By the way, Greg, Governor DeSantis graduated from Harvard Law with Honors. I don’t think he skipped any classes.
Wow, Florida!
It’s a good thing Ron is only popular in Florida.
It appears that a lot of people (even outside of Florida) are looking forward to a dictatorship.
How do you make this leap, Don? Approving of a judicial decision makes one a pro-dictator citizen?
@Reed Hared, I used to race stock cars. I learned long ago that sometimes you don’t “win” per se. What may have happened is you didn’t lose. There is a difference. I’ve had embarrassing “wins”. And I’ve had very fulfilling top 5 finishes. Being handed a “win” isn’t one, it’s avoiding a loss. You shouldn’t celebrate because you didn’t lose. There is that old saying that goes, “No one asks how you won. Only IF you won.” Sorry, that doesn’t fly anymore.
Another thing. The radical right is quick to defend the sanctity of the Constitution . . . sometimes. Second Amendment, yes sir-ee bob. Fourteenth? Not so much.