(Miami) Entertainment giant Disney suffered a setback on Wednesday after a US federal judge rejected its complaint against Republican Governor of Florida Ron DeSantis, the latest twist in the legal battle between them.
The company, considered too progressive by Mr. DeSantis, initiated these lawsuits last year, accusing the conservative governor of leading a campaign of “targeted revenge” against the group.
This complaint responded to the removal, by Ron DeSantis, of a special status enjoyed in his state by the Disney World amusement park, resulting in administrative facilities, self-management of the site, advantageous loans, etc.
Judge Allen Winsor dismissed the lawsuit Wednesday, ruling that Disney did not have the legal “standing” to sue the governor.
PHOTO MICHAEL DWYER, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
Disney subsequently announced its desire to appeal the decision, assuring that it was an “important matter that has serious implications for the rule of law”.
“If it is not fought, it will create a dangerous precedent and allow States to use their official powers to punish the expression of political opinions that they disapprove of,” the group further reacted in a press release sent to the ‘AFP.
The entertainment giant, a major employer in the region, and Ron DeSantis, a figure of the American hard right, have been engaged in a legal battle since Disney denounced in 2022 a bill which restricted the teaching of subjects related to sexual orientation and gender identity in primary schools.