Disney sucker punch Florida Governor as the company finally fight back against Florida Governor and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board of Supervisors.
Today, Wednesday April 26 started with The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board of Supervisors voted to void Disney’s final agreement with the previous Reedy Creek Improvement District Board, that saw Reedy Creek transfer most of it powers over to Disney in a move that sucker punched the Florida Governor's forced State takeover of Reedy Creek.
BUT
In bigger news today, Disney have finally begun pushing back against the Governor's constant provoking of the company, as it's emerged that Disney is suing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board of Supervisors.
Yes, finally, after weeks of constantly bullying by the Governor, Disney have filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida.against DeSantis and his puppet board of Meredith Ivey (Acting Secretary of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity), Martin Garcia (Board Chair), and Board members Michael Sasso, Brian Aungst, Jr., Ron Peri, Bridget Ziegler, and Administrator John Classe.
In pursuing the lawsuit, Disney say that they have been "forced to defend itself against a State weaponizing its power to inflict political punishment."
Disney cites “A targeted campaign of government retaliation—orchestrated at every step by Governor DeSantis as punishment for Disney’s protected speech—now threatens Disney’s business operations, jeopardizes its economic future in the region, and violates its constitutional rights.”
Disney have been waiting in the wings today to serve the lawsuit, as it makes reference to this morning's meeting where the Board of Supervisors officially voided Disney’s final agreement with the Reedy Creek Improvement District Board.
The lawsuits states that “Disney regrets that it has come to this, but having exhausted efforts to seek a resolution, the Company is left with no choice but to file this lawsuit to protect its cast members, guests, and local development partners from a relentless campaign to weaponize government power against Disney in retaliation for expressing a political viewpoint unpopular with certain State officials.”
Another section of the lengthy lawsuit claims, “It is a clear violation of Disney’s federal constitutional rights—under the Contracts Clause, the Takings Clause, the Due Process Clause, and the First Amendment—for the State to inflict a concerted campaign of retaliation because the Company expressed an opinion with which the government disagreed. And it is a clear violation of these rights for the CFTOD board to declare its own legally binding contracts void and unenforceable. Disney thus seeks relief from this Court in order to carry out its long-held business plans.”
Also, in the lawsuit Disney says it's fortunate to have resources to battle the State’s retaliation for simply offering a different opinion to that of the Governor over his "Don't Say Gay" Bill, they say "smaller businesses and individuals might not be able to take when the State comes after them for expressing their own views. In America, the government cannot punish you for speaking your mind."
It looks like this fight is not one side after all, and things are about to get interesting...
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