Ron DeSantis Vs. Disney: Governor Requests Federal Judge To Throw Out Lawsuit, Citing Broad Immunity

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' attorneys on Monday filed a motion in federal court seeking the dismissal of Walt Disney Co.‘s DIS lawsuit. 

What Happened: DeSantis' attorneys argued that the defendants are protected by immunity and that Disney has no legal standing to sue them, CNBC reported.

This came after the suit filed by Disney accused the governor and another defendant of engaging in political retaliation against the company. 

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According to DeSantis' attorneys, Disney’s complaint, which alleges that the governor specifically targeted the company following its opposition to the contentious state classroom bill dubbed “Don’t Say Gay” by critics, “lacks a valid basis for granting relief.”

Attorneys representing Governor DeSantis and Meredith Ivey, the secretary of Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity, submitted a 27-page motion to dismiss. In their filing at the U.S. District Court in Tallahassee, they contended that "Disney lacks standing to sue the Governor and Secretary, who are also immune from suit."

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Why It’s Important: The rift between the Florida administration and the entertainment conglomerate originated from the passage of a law in March 2022 by Florida, which prohibited teaching about gender identity and sexual orientation to students in kindergarten through third grade. Commonly referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, it catalyzed the ongoing conflict between the two parties.

After Disney publicly expressed its opposition to the law, Florida retaliated by revoking longstanding special privileges that had been granted to Disney’s theme parks and the surrounding region within the state. The two parties are now fighting it out in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida.

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