Disney Asks “What Are They Trying to Hide” In Suit With the DeSantis-Appointed CFTOD
The Walt Disney Company is once again going after the Central Florida Tourism Oversight (CFTOD) for withholding information related to the district’s lawsuit against the company.
“It’s enough to really get you to ask, ‘What is it they’re trying to hide here?’” Disney attorney Stephen Brody said.
Photo: CFTOD
How We Got Here
The CFTOD is suing Disney in state court over last-minute binding agreements that the company made with the former Reedy Creek Improvement District in the waning days of that entity’s existence.
Those agreements essentially gave Disney regulatory control over their Central Florida land in perpetuity.
Disney later countersued the CFTOD, accusing the board of breaching the contracts that it signed with Reedy Creek.
Disney Says the CFTOD Has Not Complied With Information Requests
During the latest court hearing today, Disney asked Orange County Circut Court Judge Margaret Schreiber to force the CFTOD to turn over certain records and respond to written questions submitted by Disney.
Photo: Fox News
The records in question include communications about the Reedy Creek agreements that were written or received on CFTOD representatives’ personal devices.
“The district appears to have made no effort to search for, collect, or review documents from personal email accounts or mobile devices of district board members and employees,” said Brody.
Disney also wants the judge to require the CFTOD to answer written questions about how the new board was selected.
Ron DeSantis and Glen Gilzean. Photo: Central Florida Urban League
“It’s a basic inquiry in a case where one of the central issues is whether actions have been directed by or coordinated with the governor’s office to harm Disney,” said Brody.
The CFTOD’s Counter-Argument
In response to Disney’s records request, CFTOD attorney Paul Huck stated that the special district has complied to the best of its ability, but some of Disney’s requests are too burdensome to compile.
Photo: Jim Carchidi/Orlando Business Journal
“One of the things that has been a little frustrating is that Disney essentially is complaining that they don’t think that we produced enough documents,” Huck said. “We’ve reviewed over 289,000 documents in response to this, including tens of thousands of documents that were reviewed from senior members of staff at the district.”
Regarding Disney’s questions, Huck argues that they are irrelevant to the case.
“How and why the board and the district administrator were appointed or hired is irrelevant to whether those actions are lawful,” said Huck. “That’s not what this case is about, and that’s not what Disney’s counterclaim is about.”
Photo: The Wall Street Journal
Following both sides’ arguments, Schreiber said she would rule on Disney’s request later.
As always, continue to check back with MickeyBlog. We will update you on all the developments in the ongoing battle between The Walt Disney Company and Ron DeSantis.
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