Disney Seeks to Revise Lawsuit Against Governor DeSantis

(AmericanProsperity.com) – According to a CBS News September 3 report, Disney wants to focus the scope of its lawsuit against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on a free speech claim that he retaliated against the company because of its opposition to a state law. This one banned classroom lessons on gender identity and sexual orientation in public schools’ early grades.

The media outlet revealed that Disney asked a federal judge on September 1 to submit a revised complaint, focusing on the First Amendment claim. The company plans to address the legality of the deals it signed with the former Reedy Creek Improvement District board (RCID). This one was mainly composed of Disney supporters in another state-court lawsuit.

Back in February, the Florida Governor gained full control of the RCID, which he eventually reconstituted as the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District or CFTOD. Different reports showed that DeSantis appointed five individuals to officially replace RCID’s elected members, and mused that he could impose some taxes against Disney’s hotels. He even said he was planning to place a prison right next to the Walt Disney World.

Disney ended up evading this legal maneuver by diminishing the power of RCID’s board by having their predecessors enter into a development deal. This one granted the entertainment juggernaut full developmental control over 27,000 acres of land that make up its theme park resort in central Florida.

These deals transferred control of construction and design at this resort from the new appointees on the CFTOD’s board – which were chosen by the Republican Florida Governor- to the company. While they are now challenging the legality of these deals in a Florida court, DeSantis is not involved in the lawsuit.

In the federal court motion, the company alleged that it is currently facing immediate, ongoing, and tangible harm because of the composition of the CFTOD and the new power this one has. Disney also argued this has been used as a way to punish the company for expressing its “political view.”