(RepublicanDaily.org) – The Walt Disney Company has narrowed the scope of its federal lawsuit against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis which has resulted in a judge dismissing a motion from the DeSantis camp to have the suit thrown out.
DeSantis’ legal team had previously moved to have the case dismissed, but Judge Allen Winsor told them that they would need to file a new motion to dismiss that particularly pertains to the amended lawsuit.
Disney has changed its legal strategy, and has now opted to focus on what they allege to be Florida’s violation of their First Amendment rights. Disney and its executives initially clashed with DeSantis over the latter’s controversial bill that its detractors have dubbed “Don’t Say Gay,” which bars teachers from teaching topics related to gender identity and sex education to students from kindergarten to third grade.
The House of Mouse further alleges that in response to its public stand on the law, DeSantis stripped Disney of a number of privileges and tax breaks that it had been provided with under the Reedy Creek Improvement District. DeSantis has replaced Reddy Creek – which has been operating largely independently for decades with a Disney-appointed board – with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTO). The CFTO’s board are all appointed by the governor.
DeSantis has often downplayed the significance of the suit, and earlier said that he has basically “moved on” from the issue, and called on Disney CEO Bob Iger to drop the lawsuit. However, the continued legal battle with the entertainment company, especially the ramifications of it, have had a number of former government officials, many of whom are Republican, to express concern that the ongoing feud between the two parties is damaging to Florida’s “political, social, and economic fabric.”
Disney has also implied that the results of its suit against DeSantis could potentially have an effect on whether or not – or how much more – the company will be willing to invest in the state. Disney has already scrapped a planned $1 billion development in Florida.
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