US Federal judge dismisses Disney's case accusing Florida Governor DeSantis of retaliation

A federal judge on Wednesday (Jan 31st) dismissed Disney's lawsuit against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. The lawsuit claimed that the Republican leader had illegally retaliated against the entertainment giant for criticising his "anti-woke" agenda and that he had allegedly used the state to punish the company.

The ruling

Reuters reports that in his ruling, US District Judge Allen Winsor said that Disney lacked standing to sue the governor or the secretary of commerce. 

In Tallahassee, Florida, Winsor also knocked down Disney's free-speech claims. He said that while the US's First Amendment prohibits government officials from retaliating against protected speech, a plaintiff — in this case, Disney — cannot bring a free speech challenge to an otherwise constitutional law, merely based on the subjective motivations of the lawmakers who passed it.

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Disney to Challenge Ruling

A spokesperson for Disney, as per Reuters, said that it was "an important case with serious implications for the rule of law, and it will not end here."

"If left unchallenged, this would set a dangerous precedent and give licence to states to weaponise their official powers to punish the expression of political viewpoints they disagree with. We are determined to press forward with our case," said the company's spokesperson.

DeSantis Vs Disney

DeSantis and Disney have been at loggerheads since 2022 when a spokesperson for the entertainment giant spoke out against a Republican governor-backed education bill concerning LGBTQ youth.

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Following this, DeSantis reportedly pushed the Republican-controlled legislature to revoke Disney's special self-governance arrangement, which it had enjoyed since 1967. It had allowed the city-sized theme park to run its own zoning and infrastructure projects.

In April 2023, Disney sued DeSantis and members of a state board, characterising their actions as a "targeted campaign of government retaliation" that violated the company's right to free speech. The defendants had urged for the case's dismissal arguing that the company cannot sue over constitutionally enacted laws.

(With inputs from agencies)