The Walt Disney Company fired one other salvo at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis of their bitter feud, suing his hand-picked board for allegedly failing to release documents and preserve public records as required by state law.
In a lawsuit filed in Florida state court on Friday, Disney accused the newly created Central Florida Tourism Oversight District of dragging its feet in producing electronic message between its members.
DeSantis had dissolved Disney’s semi-autonomous tax district that had jurisdiction over its Orlando-area theme parks after it took issue along with his so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law.
Earlier this yr, Disney requested that the board reveal emails and text messages amongst its five members — all of whom were appointed by DeSantis.
“CFTOD has prevented Disney from discovering the actions of its government through public records requests, in violation of Florida law,” it was alleged within the lawsuit.
“The Court should grant Disney relief.”
CFTOD board members are accused within the lawsuit of using their personal email addresses and devices to send messages related to district business — a violation of public records laws.
The Walt Disney Company has fired one other legal salvo in its long-running dispute with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. GC Images
The Post has sought comment from CFTOD.
The origins of the DeSantis-Disney feud may be traced back to January of last yr, when the Republican governor’s allies within the state legislature introduced a bill that will bar sex and gender identity education for public school students through the third grade.
Disney management got here under pressure from its employees and pro-LGBTQ activists to publicly oppose the laws.
After Disney issued an announcement condemning the laws, which was signed into law within the spring of last yr, DeSantis moved to strip the corporate of its semi-autonomous powers over its theme parks.
Disney is suing members of a board who were appointed by the Florida governor. AP
The Reedy Creek Improvement District, which was created by Florida a long time ago to entice the California-based company to construct a theme park in Orlando, was a Disney-dominated body that exercised control over taxation, zoning and other elements of road and theme park maintenance with little interference from the state and county governments nearby.
In April of last yr, legislators in Tallahassee dissolved the RCID — a move that was codified into law by DeSantis.
Earlier this yr, Florida lawmakers approved renaming the RCID because the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District — the members of that are to be appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate.
Disney has drawn the ire of DeSantis and his allies in Florida’s legislature by opposing a law that bars sex and gender identity education for elementary school students. REUTERS
Just before the RCID’s dissolution, the now-defunct board struck an eleventh-hour cope with Disney that handed the corporate much of the body’s authority.
When the newly installed CFTOD declared the move null and void, Disney filed a lawsuit in federal court contesting the edict.
Disney has accused DeSantis and the state government of violating the corporate’s First Amendment rights.
