Ron DeSantis “Welcomes Disney’s Surrender”
In a new court filing, attorneys for Governor Ron DeSantis say that the Florida governor “welcomes Disney’s surrender.”
The latest barb in the back and forth between Disney and DeSantis comes as the parties prepare for an upcoming federal lawsuit.
Why Disney Is Suing DeSantis
In their suit, Disney alleges that Ron DeSantis and lawmakers dissolved the Disney-appointed Reedy Creek Improvement District in retaliation for the company’s public opposition to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Law.
The company publically opposed the measure, which critics dubbed “Don’t Say Gay” last year. Subsequently, DeSantis and Florida lawmakers dissolved the Disney-controlled Reedy Creek Improvement District, which had essentially given the company autonomy over its Central Florida land.
Disney then sued DeSantis in federal court, arguing that the governor had violated the company’s First Amendment right.
DeSantis’ Response
In their response to Disney’s accusations, DeSantis’ lawyers argued that the alleged acts by the governor are “legislative in nature”, and thus protected by the “absolute legislative immunity” under 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 enforces any of the laws at issue, so Disney lacks standing to sue them,” the defense team wrote.
In their latest filing, the DeSantis team doubled down on the legal argument:
“The Governor welcomes Disney’s surrender on all of its claims challenging his legislative acts,” they wrote.
Disney’s Argument
Disney, for their part, argues that DeSantis’ claims of immunity are “incorrect.”
“Because this suit seeks to enjoin the Governor from performing executive acts, legislative immunity does not protect him from suit,” Disney wrote.
As always, continue to check back in with MickeyBlog. We will update you on all the news surrounding the ongoing battle between Ron DeSantis and the Walt Disney Company.