The ongoing battle between Disney and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is far from over.
Disney vs. DeSantis
Back in 2022, DeSantis passed a state law banning classroom lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades. After Disney publicly opposed this law, things got heated between the two parties. In 2023, the Reedy Creek Improvement District, Disney’s former governing body, underwent a lengthy battle with Desantis, which resulted in the District being restructured to become the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD). The newly structured body consisted of a Board of Supervisors hand-appointed by Governor Desantis himself. Now, two major lawsuits later, the battle continues as Disney makes another move.
Earlier in 2023, Disney filed a federal lawsuit against DeSantis and the members of the board of the CFTOD, stating that there had been a violation of federal rights. In the lawsuit, Disney argued that there had been a “relentless campaign to weaponize government power” against Disney to punish them for their political views. According to the Associated Press, DeSantis and the CFTOD asked a federal judge to throw out this lawsuit on Thursday.
©Governor Ron DeSantis Website
Earlier this year, the DeSantis-appointed CFTOD Board announced a state lawsuit of their own against Disney, attempting to void agreements made within the Reedy Creek District before DeSantis took control. These agreements gave Disney control over design and construction within the district and prohibited the district from using Disney’s intellectual property without the company’s permission.
©Central Florida Tourism Oversight District
Disney then filed counterclaims, asking a state court to declare the agreements “valid and enforceable.” They then amended on Thursday, saying the “DeSantis-controlled district was in violation of the U.S. Constitution stipulations on contracts and due process.”
Reedy Creek
Now, Disney is taking action yet again by demanding that internal communications be turned over, “including text messages and emails, and documents regarding the district’s comprehensive plan, the development agreements and the legislation that shifted control of the district to DeSantis.” The state-level subpoena has been issued that would require the governor’s office to turn over the requested items by October 27th.
Reedy Creek Improvement District
Disney’s lawyers also sent notices of subpoenas to other special districts in Florida. DeSantis allies have argued that one of the reasons that the agreements should be voided is that they weren’t properly publicized. With these other subpoenas, Disney is aiming to show that the way in which it gave public notice about the agreements made before the CFTOD took over was consistent with what is commonplace across other districts.
Reedy Creek Building
We’ll continue to monitor the situation, so stay tuned to DFB for more!
NEWS: DeSantis-Appointed Reedy Creek Board Approves $4.5 Million Budget for Disney Lawsuit
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I’m so proud of Disney, teaching kids hate confuses them, teaching them Love doesn’t. I’m my opinion the governor preaching hate in God’s name is Blasphemy the only unforgivable sin. We’re all God’s children and love isn’t a sin. Praise God for Disney, they are what’s good for Florida, and it’s unfortunate the governor is too homopobic to realize that fact!
Desantis should be ejected from government altogether!
He is using the governor’s office for his own good,and to finance himself!For that alone he should be removed from office!
I believe DeSantis’ demands for vengeance due to Disney disagreeing with one of his ridiculous laws on gender orientation & identity in elementary schools is patently nonsense. I worked in public schools for 30 years and there was NO discussion in any school I ever worked in in MD, CT or Oh on that topic. DeSatis has created a problem where one never existed in my experience. Additionally, I believe DeSantis violated the original law which allowed Reedy Creek to be established and run by Disney. DeSantis’ unilaterally appointed board of far right conservative donors/sycophants has already wasted 6.5 million in tax payers money the first half of 2023 and now they want another 4.5+ million more taxpayers dollars for what? This is simply further evidence of their continuing incomptence as not one of them is even remotely qualified to make any decisions for Disney, it’s businesses or it’s investors? FL Republican voters need to wake up to the financial waste and chaos created by DeSantis and what the costs are to all taxpayers for unaccountable laws, rules, demands, his and others activities, travel, food, discrimination against others including women’s rights, and so on. It needs to stop! Send the wannabe dictator and his minions packing and leave Disney alone to run it’s business.
I sort of liked the guy before he started his petty vengeance war against Disney. I hope he’s gone from public soon.
Of course he, his administration, and his new Minions he appointed to the new district board don’t want to turn over any documents. Not only will it prove their collusion and abuse of power against Disney, but it will probably open up a whole new box of corruption within little Ronnie’s government.
DeSantis is acting like a petty dictator to appease a shrinking base. He should resign as Governor.
The way the Maga GOP are fairing all over America, De Satan will be another abject loser. Surely there is a law somewhere about getting rid of a governor who isn’t doing their job. This is why they are supposed to relinquish their governorships, when running for higher office.
Many people are unfamiliar with the background facts here. Some teachers in Florida were going extra curricula in bringing in their own books and experts to talk to young school children about LGBTQ. Many of these experts presented this material from an advocacy perspective. The school boards seemed powerless or unwilling to stop this practice, so Florida passed the Parental Rights in Education bill, saying gender identity and sexual orientation should not be taught in grades K-3. We are talking 5, 6 ,7 and 8 year olds. Disney objected to this lawfully passed state law and went public, saying they will use all their powers and resources to have this law overturned. Again we are talking about 5, 6, 7 and 8 year olds. This is what led to the Disney and DeSantis feud. Disney never had the moral high ground on this topic. Iger has said he would quiet things down and then immediately thereafter, escalated the litigation, rather than finding a way to put this to rest. Iger has done this several times now.
This is but one more exhibit showing how Disney has entered politics of the culture war and in doing so, has precipitated a 20% to 30% decline in park attendance, movie attendance and Disney + viewership. Disney does not have the moral high ground on this topic.
I heard that they wanted to teach ‘alternate lifestyles’ to preschool children as well. Children as young as 3 & 4 yrs old as well as early elementary are too young to learn about alternate lifestyles. As a pediatric nurse I know that children at this age don’t understand enough about heterosexual sex yet, let alone alternate forms. I don’t believe anyone should harm the pride people in anyway, but their lifestyle shouldn’t be taught to children too young to understand this.
God bless you, Essie. Expect to be vilified for speaking the truth.