Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, has asked a federal judge to throw out a Disney lawsuit against him.
The motion filed by attorneys for Governor DeSantis on Monday argues that Disney “lacks standing to sue” because it has not established an injury that can be traced back to the governor.
It also suggests that claims against state defendants are “barred by sovereign immunity” and “legislative immunity.”
“The acts on which Disney bases its claims were the proposal, defense, and execution of legislation, central legislative roles expressly assigned to the governor by the Florida constitution,” the court filing reads.
Disney filed a lawsuit against DeSantis in April, alleging that he has engaged in a “relentless campaign to weaponize government power against Disney in retaliation for expressing a political viewpoint unpopular with certain state officials.”
The “point of view” refers to Disney openly opposing the governor’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” laws. The claim of political retaliation comes from DeSantis and the newly created Central Florida Tourism Supervisory District board, which he appointed in an attempt to void a development deal that Disney had secured.
Said district was formerly known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District and was established in 1967.
DeSantis and Republicans in the legislature have also taken several other steps to remove Disney’s ability to govern itself, according to The New York Times, in the state of Florida, including eliminating tax breaks the company has had for more than 50 years.
The motion to dismiss is the latest move from the DeSantis camp after previously seeking to remove the judge overseeing the lawsuit. The governor has used his battle with the entertainment giant as a talking point on the campaign trail.
Meanwhile, Disney has pulled out of an estimated $1 billion project to build a new employee campus near Orlando, Florida. The reason for the decision was cited in a memo as “new leadership and changing business conditions.”
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