Florida Lawsuit Against Gov. Ron DeSantis Over Disney World Was Thrown Out

May 13, 2022

A federal judge has officially thrown out a lawsuit by three Florida residents claiming Governor Ron DeSantis went against The Walt Disney Company’s freedom as she found numerous holes in the filing and ruled the company can fight its own battle.

As shared by a recent report by The Hollywood Reporter, Taxpayers in county’s surrounding Disney’s Walt Disney World theme park area came together to join the initiative to keep Reedy Creek as they say in a lawsuit against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, which has now been dismissed, violated their rights when he signed the recent law dissolving the special tax district.

The lawsuit looked to block DeSantis’ law dissolving Reedy Creek in Florida federal court as these residents who live near Disney World claim they and other taxpayers will be burdened with at least $1 billion in Disney’s bond debt if the state follows through its plans to dissolve the Reedy Creek Improvement District.

“It is without question that Defendant Governor DeSantis intended to punish Disney for a 1st Amendment protected ground of free speech,” reads the lawsuit. “Defendant’s violation of Disney’s 1st Amendment rights directly resulted in a violation of Plaintiffs’ 14th Amendment rights to due process of law.”

However, because the law’s provisions are not in effect yet, U.S. District Judge Cecilia Altonaga stated thee claims are not ready for litigation and adjudication.

“They do not allege direct harm as a result of the challenged law, and they do not plausibly allege any credible threat of direct harm in the future,” she wrote.

In reference to the Florida residents and their claims the dissolving of Reedy Creek would make it so they would have to assume the tax burden that Disney shoulders under its special tax status, the judge shrugged off the claim.

“That indirect and highly speculative alleged injury cannot support federal jurisdiction,” she wrote.

Sean Sposato
The Main Street Mouse Central Florida Theme Park News Source