Why is Disney suing Republican Presidential candidate Ron DeSantis?

Once a hornet’s nest has been poked, stepping back is not easy. Ron DeSantis, governor of Florida, has found the same problem after picking a legal fight with Disney last year.

In an interview with CNBC last Monday, DeSantis said he had “moved on” from the fued with Disney.

Legal matters cannot simply be hand-waved away however, and as if hunting a wounded prey Disney have dived in for the kill.

New counterclaims from Disney are for breach of contract amongst other motions in the 55-page filing. The new lawsuit joins the lawsuit filed in April alleging the state’s actions toward the company a “targeted campaign” of government retaliation.”

These were filed just hours after the interview aired.

“Disney has suffered and will continue to suffer damages” and will be “irreparably harmed if the District is allowed to avoid its contractual obligations,” wrote Daniel Petrocelli, a lawyer for the company, in the filing.

The legal battle will be drawn out, regardless if Ron DeSantis wants to continue no further.

The backstory to the legal fight

The conflict between Governor DeSantis and Disney goes back to the passage of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill in 2022. Disney publically criticised the legislation, fully within the company’s rights as a private enterprise.

After Disney, the largest employer in the state, came out against the law, Gov. DeSantis began to attack the company as “woke.” Disney’s jurisdiction over 25,000-acre special tax district was revoked. Disney sued.

When the law was passed, the governor said that it was “bad policy” to continue “allowing a corporation to control its own government [...], especially when the corporation makes decisions that impact the entire region.” DeSantis also applauded the legislation for ending “Disney’s self-governing status” and that it “makes Disney live under the same laws as everybody else.”

While DeSantis was declaring victory, Disney was already moving against him. The former Reedy Creek Development board, that oversees the tax district, voted to strip the board of power and give it back to Disney. That situation would remain in perpetuity “until twenty one (21) years after the death of the last survivor of the descendants of King Charles III.” In otherwords, forever.

Expect this to keep rolling on during the build-up to the 2024 presidential election.