Deadline has published the motion filed by Disney today in opposition to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' motion to dismiss Disney's federal lawsuit against him and members of his Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.
In the filing, Disney says of DeSantis, "In his view, corporations must remain 'merely economic actors,' and when they dare to 'become political' and seek to 'advance a political agenda' that does not conform to the ruling party's program, government leaders are free to 'fight back' by wielding official state power against disobedient companies until their disfavored views 'die.'"
Disney's legal team continues, "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. The motion seeks dismissal on Article III standing, sovereign- immunity, and legislative-immunity grounds, but those principles have no application here."
You can read the full 4537 word motion via Deadline here.
Judge Allen C Winsor presiding over the case, has set the DeSantis legal team until August 9 to reply to Disney's motion filed today.
Disney is suing DeSantis for what it says has been "a targeted campaign of government retaliation-orchestrated at every step by Governor DeSantis as punishment for Disney's protected speech-now threatens Disney's business operations, jeopardizes its economic future in the region, and violates its constitutional rights."
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