Federal judge dismisses Disney’s lawsuit against DeSantis

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A federal judge dismissed The Walt Disney Company’s free speech lawsuit against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday afternoon.

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U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor ruled that Disney lacked standing in its First Amendment lawsuit against DeSantis and his appointees to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, which governs the land of the Walt Disney World Resort.

The separate lawsuit is still pending in state court in Orlando.

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The feud between DeSantis and Disney started in 2022 after the company publicly opposed Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act, dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” law by critics. The law, was championed by DeSantis, banned classroom lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades.

In retaliation for Disney objecting to the law, DeSantis and Republican legislators took over the district Disney had controlled for more than 50 years and installed five board members loyal to the governor.

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“This is an important case with serious implications for the rule of law, and it will not end here,” a Disney spokesman told Channel 9. “If left unchallenged, this would set a dangerous precedent and give license to states to weaponize their official powers to punish the expression of political viewpoints they disagree with. We are determined to press forward with our case.”

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Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Chairman Martin Garcia provided Channel 9 with the following statement:

“I’m delighted that this lawsuit, which was nothing more than a distraction, is now behind us. Our board and the district will now continue to make the appropriate changes to operate and function as an independent government agency to promote transparency and accountability while bringing more prosperity to more people in Florida.”

Watch Channel 9 Eyewitness News for live updates to this developing story.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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