The Magic Kingdom Goes to War

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Disney on Wednesday sued Florida governor Ron DeSantis and other officials, claiming that the state’s “retaliation” for its stance on the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law violated its constitutional rights.

Until now the US media company has held back from taking legal action against Florida in the course of a bitter yearlong fight with DeSantis, who has declared war on “woke Disney”. 

Disney said in the lawsuit filed in a federal court in Florida that the state had violated a number of federal constitutional rights — including those protecting contracts, due process under the law and the first amendment right to free speech.

It is the latest salvo in a battle between Disney and the Florida governor over who should sit on a board overseeing the company’s operations in Orlando. DeSantis had replaced the board with a slate of political appointees, prompting Disney to ram through last-minute contractual changes that neutered their powers.

“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, jeopardises its economic future in the region, and violates its constitutional rights,” Disney’s complaint said.

*Financial Times