Disney is appealing a major setback earlier this week in its ongoing legal and political battle with Florida’s Republican governor Ron DeSantis.
On Thursday, Disney filed a notice of appeal, challenging a Florida federal judge’s decision to throw out its case accusing DeSantis of punishing Disney for exercising its right to free speech.
The judge ruled that Disney lacked standing to sue DeSantis and that the company’s claims against the governor’s oversight board failed on merit — a win for DeSantis.
Disney had not “alleged any specific actions the new board took (or will take) because of the Governor’s alleged control,” according to the judge’s ruling.
On Wednesday, a Disney spokesperson said the company was undeterred, despite the initial dismissal.
“This is an important case with serious implications for the rule of law, and it will not end here,” the spokesperson said. “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.”
The lawsuit, filed by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts in April, came after DeSantis signed a bill that gave him new power over the 47-square-mile district that contains Walt Disney World Resort in Central Florida.
Disney previously held municipal control over the area surrounding its theme parks but lost it after DeSantis’ bill was passed, establishing the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, which is now overseen by five people hand-picked by the governor.
The board has threatened to hike taxes, raise utility rates and develop the land around the entertainment giant’s Central Florida theme parks.
The conflict between Disney and Florida’s Republican governor began nearly two years ago after Disney spoke out against a bill championed by DeSantis that banned certain instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida classrooms. Disney’s then-CEO, Bob Chapek, called the bill, dubbed by critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, a “challenge to basic human rights.”
In the April lawsuit, Disney accused DeSantis and the oversight board of punishing the company for speaking out against DeSantis’ bill.
A spokesperson for DeSantis did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment. In a statement issued Wednesday after the lawsuit’s initial dismissal, a spokesperson for the governor said, “Disney is still just one of many corporations in the state, and they do not have a right to their own special government.”
