The Walt Disney Company has released a new statement following the dismissal of its First Amendment lawsuit against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Central Florida Oversight District Board.
Disney Issues Statement Over Lawsuit Dismissal
In the statement, shared with Variety this afternoon, Disney indicates that the company plans to appeal the decision to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Read the full statement:
This is an important case with serious implications for the rule of law, and it will not end here.
If left unchallenged, this would set a dangerous precedent and give license to states to weaponize their official powers to punish the expression of political viewpoints they disagree with. We are determined to press forward with our case.
Disney originally filed the lawsuit in April 2023, citing that the governor’s dissolution of the former Reedy Creek Improvement District was “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.”
Earlier today, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida dismissed Disney’s lawsuit against DeSantis, with the presiding judge ruling that Disney lacked standing to sue the governor and secretary, and dismissed the suit against the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District based on merit.
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