Ron DeSantis of Florida, a federal judge on Wednesday threw out a lawsuit filed by the Walt Disney Company claiming that Mr. DeSantis and his allies violated the company’s First Amendment rights by taking over a special tax district that encompasses Walt Disney World.
Disney and Mr. DeSantis, who recently ended his campaign for president, have been at odds for nearly two years over Disney World, the 25,000-acre theme park and resort complex south of Orlando.
Before the takeover took effect, however, Disney signed contracts — quietly, but in publicly advertised meetings — to lock in development plans worth some $17 billion over the next decade.
An effort by Mr. DeSantis and his allies to void the contracts resulted in dueling lawsuits, with Disney suing Mr. DeSantis and the tax district in federal court and the new appointees returning fire in state court.
On Wednesday, Judge Allen Winsor in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida in Tallahassee dismissed the federal case in its entirety.
Persons:
Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, Disney, — Mr, —, Judge Allen Winsor
Organizations:
Gov, Walt Disney Company, Walt Disney, Disney, Northern, Northern District of
Locations:
Florida, Orlando, U.S, Northern District, Northern District of Florida, Tallahassee