Walt Disney Co. DIS apparently is in no mood to back off from its legal battle with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
What Happened: Disney argued that DeSantis' motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought by it over the state's retaliatory tactics should be denied, a filing by the Mouse House in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida showed.
In late June, DeSantis' attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the case, reasoning that the plaintiff has no basis for doing so and the lawsuit is meritless for many reasons. “A special district cannot bind the state to transfer a portion of its sovereign authority to a private entity,” they argued.
In response, Disney argued in Wednesday's filing that the government seeks not to advance a legitimate regulatory goal but to “suppress unpopular ideas or information or manipulate the public debate through coercion rather than persuasion.”
Disney said it has been the “central target of the governor's weaponized state.”
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“This case presents the fundamental question [of] whether the Governor and the State can escape accountability for their open defiance of our Nation's most cherished liberties,” the entertainment giant said.
“The Governor seeks to evade responsibility for his actions on a narrower ground, asserting that a governor cannot be held officially liable for implementing, administering, and enforcing state laws that punish residents for political statements violating a state-prescribed speech code.”
Disney's lawyers also argued that the state does not disagree with the allegations that the challenged laws have caused the company negative consequences, including the elimination of its voting rights, cancellation of contract rights, and suppression of the company's constitutional rights to speak freely on matters of public concern.
Why It's Important: Disney and DeSantis are on the warpath over the company's opposition to Florida's “Don't Say Gay” law, which forbids discussions regarding gender and sexual orientation in classes from kindergarten through grade 3.
The two have been locked in a feud for over a year as the governor retaliated by removing some of the autonomy Disney enjoyed in the district its Florida theme park is located. The company promptly filed a lawsuit in late April.
Incidentally, the Florida governor has also taken up cudgels against Anheuser-Busch InBev SA BUD, accusing the latter of not doing its fiduciary duty of protecting its shareholders’ interest. The governor called out the company for its wokeness and said the decline in its stock price following its decision to use transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney for promoting its product has hurt Florida state pension fund subscribers.
Price Action: Disney ended Wednesday’s session up 0.27% at $85.86, according to Benzinga Pro data.
Related Link: Has Disney Vs. DeSantis Feud Hurt Voter Sentiment Toward The Governor? Here’s What A New Poll Says.
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