Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has recently filed a motion in a federal court, requesting the dismissal of The Walt Disney Co.’s lawsuit against him, alleging illegal retaliation in a political dispute.
DeSantis’ attorneys argue that he and the secretary of Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity are protected by immunity from the lawsuit, as “neither the Governor nor the Secretary enforce any of the laws at issue, so Disney lacks standing to sue them”. They further claim that DeSantis “is entitled to legislative immunity, which shields ‘both governors’ and legislators’ actions in the proposal, formulation, and passage of legislation.” DeSantis himself has previously stated that he believes the lawsuit is politically motivated and lacks merit.
In April, The Walt Disney Co. filed a lawsuit against Governor Ron DeSantis and other Florida officials, alleging that their actions were “patently retaliatory, patently anti-business, and patently unconstitutional.” Disney claimed that Florida had engaged in an “a targeted campaign of government retaliation — orchestrated at every step by Gov. DeSantis as punishment for Disney’s protected speech — [which] now threatens Disney’s business operations, jeopardizes its economic future in the region, and violates its constitutional rights.”
Tensions between DeSantis and Disney have been ongoing since 2022 when the company publicly criticized the Parental Rights in Education Law. This law imposes restrictions on content related to sexual orientation and gender identity in certain K-12 classrooms. Critics have referred to the law as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, while its supporters argue that it grants parents the authority to determine what their children can learn about specific subjects.
According to Disney’s lawsuit, following the enactment of the LGBTQ-related law and the ensuing controversy, Governor DeSantis took steps to gain control over the special tax district surrounding Disney parks in the Orlando area. This tax district had granted Disney a degree of autonomy in managing its operations in the region.
The Florida Legislature voted to dissolve the previous board responsible for the tax district and replaced it with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, which would be appointed by Governor DeSantis.
