- Lawsuit claims Disney legal moves ‘reek of a backroom deal’
- Board suit follows Disney legal claim of DeSantis retaliation
The Ron DeSantis-appointed board of the municipal authority overseeing Walt Disney Co.’s Florida parks sued the company Monday, claiming Disney violated state law in trying to ward off the board’s efforts to govern park operations.
The legal fight is the latest twist in a political drama that began when Disney criticized DeSantis-backed legislation last year that limited what schools can teach about gender and sexuality. DeSantis appointed the district’s board to replace another one that had been in place for decades and allowed Disney to govern itself.
Last week, Disney sued after the oversight district voted to halt a development agreement and related covenants signed by the company, which employs 75,000 people in Florida. Disney’s lawsuit claimed in federal court that the governor’s actions were retaliatory, anti-business and unconstitutional after the company exercised its free speech rights.
Bloomberg Politics
By David Voreacos and Felipe Marques
May 1, 2023