Disney filed a lawsuit against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Wednesday, alleging that his administration’s takeover of its theme park district is part of “a targeted campaign of government retaliation” for its opposition to a legislation prohibiting the discussion of homosexuality in schools.
The action is the latest salvo in an increasingly heated battle between Disney and DeSantis, a Republican presidential candidate for 2024 who has blasted Disney as a “woke” corporate in order to appease his right-wing fans.
DeSantis and other members of the Republican governor’s administration are named in the complaint, which was filed in federal court in Florida.
“A targeted campaign of government retaliation — orchestrated at every step by Governor DeSantis as punishment for Disney’s protected speech — now threatens Disney’s business operations, jeopardizes its economic future in the region, and violates its constitutional rights,” it says.
Last year, Disney drew the governor’s ire when it challenged a bill prohibiting school lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity.
After originally remaining silent on the subject, Disney caved to criticism from its creative workers and pledged to assist in the repeal of the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” regulation, which campaigners claim stigmatizes LGBTQ youngsters.
DeSantis took charge of Walt Disney World’s self-governing district in February and has openly discussed raising taxes on the firm, enforcing ostensibly punitive safety inspections, or even constructing a prison close to the theme park.
On Wednesday, a DeSantis-appointed panel voted to void agreements that gave Disney effective self-governance at its massive complex near Orlando, which employs 75,000 people and attracts 50 million visitors per year, many of whom come from all over the world, bringing billions of dollars into the Sunshine State’s economy. Moments later, the company hit back.
“There is no room for disagreement about what happened here: Disney expressed its opinion on state legislation and was then punished by the State for doing so,” the filing says.
The firm is asking the court to void DeSantis’s legal moves, and declare them unlawful and unenforceable.
