Disney Fires Back At DeSantis’ Motion To Dismiss Lawsuit
In the latest chapter in the ongoing feud between Florida Govenor Ron DeSantis and The Walt Disney Company, Disney has fired back at DeSantis’ bid to get the company’s federal lawsuit tossed out of court.
As dictated by the court schedule, Disney filed its response today to DeSantis’ June 26 motion to toss Disney’s suit.
“This case presents the fundamental question whether the Governor and the State can escape accountability for their open defiance of our Nation’s most cherished liberties,” Disney wrote.
How We Got Here
Disney originally filed their suit in April alleging that the DeSantis-supported state decision to dissolve the Reedy Creek Improvement was done in retaliation for Disney’s response to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education lay.
In May, the company amended the suit, adding further examples of perceived retaliation in addition to quotes from the govenor himself.
On June 26, Desantis’ legal team filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that DeSantis and other Florida administrators were protected from lawsuits by the 11th Amendment.
“But first things first. The Court lacks jurisdiction over at least two defendants—the Governor and the Secretary—who are also immune from suit. Although Disney has grabbed headlines by suing the Governor, Disney—like many litigants before it who have challenged Florida’s laws—has no basis for doing so. Neither the Governor nor the Secretary enforce any of the laws at issue, so Disney lacks standing to sue them,” the defense team wrote.
Disney’s Response
In today’s filing, Disney rejected that claim.
“The Governor seeks to evade responsibility for his actions on a narrower ground. Asserting that a governor cannot be held officially liable for implementing, administering, and enforcing state laws that punish residents for political statements violating a state-prescribed speech code,” the company added. “The motion seeks dismissal on Article III standing, sovereign-immunity, and legislative-immunity grounds, but those principles have no application here.”
As the case continues to work its way through the courts, it is unclear when the suit could potentially go to trial.
While DeSantis and his team have asked for the proceedings to start after the 2024 presidential election, Disney had another date in mind- July 15, 2024. That day just so happens to be the first day of the Republican National Convention.
As always, be sure to check back in with MickeyBlog. We will continue to bring you updates on all the news surrounding the ongoing feud between Ron DeSantis and The Walt Disney Company.
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