In that case, Disney sued DeSantis and his appointees to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District in an effort to stop the takeover, claiming the governor was violating the company’s free speech and “weaponizing the power of government to punish private business.” If the judge decides not to dismiss the state case, the entertainment giant asked that the state court case be put on hold until a federal lawsuit in Tallahassee is resolved since they cover the same ground and that lawsuit was filed first. The governor has touted his yearlong feud with Disney in his run for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, often accusing the entertainment giant of being too “woke.” Disney has accused the governor of violating its free speech rights.Īttorneys for Disney argued before Circuit Judge Margaret Schreiber that any decision in state court would be moot since the Republican-controlled Legislature already has passed a law voiding agreements that the company made with a prior governing board of Disney supporters that gave design and construction powers to the company. Disney is fighting DeSantis in one lawsuit and his Disney World board appointees in another. The case in state court in Orlando is one of two stemming from the takeover, which was retaliation for the company’s public opposition to the so-called Don’t Say Gay legislation championed by DeSantis and Republican lawmakers. (AP) - Disney asked a Florida judge on Friday to toss out a lawsuit against the company’s efforts to neutralize a takeover of Disney World’s governing district by Gov.

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