The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) is stepping up its battle against Florida governor Ron DeSantis, accusing the presumed challenger for the Republican presidential nomination of “government retaliation” in a lawsuit filed in a federal court in Florida, according to media reports.
Tensions have been building since the entertainment giant spoke out against a state law introduced in 2022 that bans discussions of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Disney has long enjoyed special tax district status in Orlando but following the company’s criticism of the new laws, Florida lawmakers voted to restructure the special district that was created more than 50 years ago to oversee the development of the land around its Orlando theme park.
With officials set to void a development deal, the BBC cited Disney as saying DeSantis' efforts to assert control over its operations had threatened its business and violated its constitutional rights. It went to court after an oversight board DeSantis appointed voted to nullify the company’s moves to reassert control.
"Disney regrets it has come to this," the company's parks division said in the lawsuit, filed in federal court in Florida.
"But having exhausted efforts to seek a resolution, the company is left with no choice but to file this lawsuit to protect its cast members, guests, and local development partners from a relentless campaign to weaponise government power against Disney in retaliation for expressing a political viewpoint unpopular with certain state officials."
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