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ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Disney on Thursday appealed a judge's dismissal of its free speech lawsuit over what it described as Gov. A separate lawsuit over who controls the district also is still pending in state court in Orlando. Disney had argued that legislation signed by DeSantis and passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature transferring control of the Disney World governing district from Disney supporters to DeSantis appointees was in retaliation for the company publicly opposing the state’s “Don’t Say Gay” law. Before control of the district changed hands from Disney allies to DeSantis appointees early last year, the Disney supporters on its board signed agreements with Disney shifting control over design and construction at Disney World to the company. Disney has filed counterclaims that include asking the state court to declare the agreements valid and enforceable.

Persons: Disney, Ron DeSantis, Walt Disney, ”, ” DeSantis, DeSantis, District Judge Allen Winsor, Winsor, Richard Foglesong, “, ” Foglesong, Jacob Schumer, ” Schumer, Mike Schneider Organizations: Walt, Disney, DeSantis, Republican, District, Rollins College, Disney World, Orlando Locations: ORLANDO, Fla, Florida, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Orlando

☆ A federal judge tossed Disney's lawsuit against Ron DeSantis. But he's not off the hook yet.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewA federal judge on Wednesday dismissed Disney's free speech lawsuit against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, leaving the company's remaining hopes of regaining control of the district that governs Walt Disney World to a separate state court challenge. "Because that is what Disney seeks here, its claim fails as a matter of law," Winsor wrote. Without directly saying it would appeal the decision, Disney said in a statement that it would "press forward with our case." The governor's press secretary, Jeremy Redfern, said the judge's decision supported DeSantis' belief that Disney doesn't have a right to its "own special government."

Persons: —, Disney's, Ron DeSantis, Allen Winsor, DeSantis, Winsor, Trump, Disney, Jeremy Redfern, Redfern Organizations: Service, Florida Gov, Walt Disney, Disney, Republican, Florida Department of Economic, Business, DeSantis Locations: Tallahassee, Orlando

☆ Judge dismisses Disney lawsuit against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis alleging retaliation
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Ron DeSantis stands at a campaign event at the Los Angeles Harbor Grain Terminal on September 29, 2023 in Long Beach, California. A judge on Wednesday dismissed a federal lawsuit Disney filed against Florida Gov. Judge Allen Winsor ruled that Disney lacked legal standing to sue DeSantis and the secretary of Florida's Commerce Department. DeSantis had touted the law, and his fight with Disney, during his unsuccessful run for the Republican presidential nomination. A Disney spokesperson told CNBC Wednesday, "This is an important case with serious implications for the rule of law, and it will not end here."

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Allen Winsor, DeSantis, Winsor, Disney Organizations: Gov, Disney, Florida Gov, Florida's Commerce, Central, Republican, Walt Disney Resort, CNBC Locations: Long Beach , California, Florida, Central Florida, U.S, Tallahassee

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed Disney's free speech lawsuit against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, leaving the company's remaining hopes of regaining control of the district that governs Walt Disney World to a separate state court challenge. U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor in Tallahassee said in his decision that Disney lacked standing in its First Amendment lawsuit against the Republican governor and his appointees to the Disney World governing district. The separate lawsuit is still pending in state court in Orlando. In retaliation for Disney objecting to the law, DeSantis and Republican legislators took over the district Disney had controlled for more than five decades and installed five board members loyal to the governor.

Persons: Disney's, Ron DeSantis, District Judge Allen Winsor, DeSantis, Mike Schneider Organizations: —, Florida Gov, Walt Disney, U.S, District, Disney, Republican Locations: ORLANDO, Fla, Tallahassee, Orlando

☆ Federal Judge Dismisses Disney Lawsuit Against DeSantis
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Brooks Barnes | More About Brooks Barnes | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

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

☆ Actor Alec Musser, who starred in 'All My Children' and 'Desperate Housewives,' dead at 50
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Eve Crosbie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Actor and fitness model Alec Musser died on Saturday, according to his fiancée. AdvertisementActor Alec Musser, best known for starring in the TV shows "All My Children" and "Desperate Housewives," has died, his fiancée Paige Press announced on Instagram on Saturday. In another post, she confirmed that Musser had died on Saturday, January 13, 2024, writing: "RIP 4/11/73 — 1/13/24." Paige Press (@theepaigepress)/InstagramPress also confirmed the news of Musser's death to TMZ . The outlet reported that Musser died at his home in Del Mar, California.

Persons: Alec Musser, Musser, Del Henry, —, Paige, fiancée Paige, Winsor Harmon, Fredrich Organizations: Service, Paige Press, Instagram, Press, fiancée Paige Press, Instagram Press, TMZ, ABC, Soap Locations: Del Mar , California, Rita

☆ Cats have 276 different facial expressions, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Hafsa Khalil | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

In a study published in the journal Behavioural Processes last month, two US scientists counted 276 different facial expressions when domesticated cats interacted with one another. Both researchers assessed the differences in expression with a coding system designed specifically for cats, called the cat Facial Action Coding System, and looking at the number and types of facial muscle movements. The study added that muscle movements associated with biological processes such as breathing and yawning were not included. “Our hope is to expand our sample size to include cats living in other locations…looking at the facial expressions of cats living in multi-cat homes, feral colonies” and so on, Florkiewicz said. Another goal for the future is to conduct a follow-up study to determine what more of the expressions mean, she added.

Persons: you’ve, Brittany Florkiewicz, Chris Winsor, Florkiewicz, Lauren Scott, Scott Organizations: CNN, Lyon College in, Getty, University of Kansas Medical, University of California Locations: Lyon College in Arkansas, Los Angeles

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 17 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge in Florida on Thursday declined to block the state's law barring citizens of China and other "countries of concern" from owning homes or land in the state. Winsor, an appointee of Republican then-President Donald Trump, denied a bid by four Chinese nationals to block the law pending the outcome of their lawsuit filed in May. Florida's law prohibits individuals who are "domiciled" in China and are not U.S. citizens or green card holders from purchasing buildings or land in the state. The ACLU claims the law violates the U.S. Constitution's guarantees of equal protection and due process and the federal Fair Housing Act (FHA), which prohibits housing discrimination based on race and national origin. The Biden administration filed a brief last month agreeing that the Florida law violates the FHA.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, District Judge Allen Winsor, Winsor, Donald Trump, Ashley Gorski, general's, Ron DeSantis, Biden, Daniel Wiessner, Alexia Garamfalvi Organizations: REUTERS, District, Republican, American Civil Liberties Union, U.S, Chinese Communist Party, ACLU, Housing, Thomson Locations: U.S, Florida, China, Tallahassee , Florida, Cuba, Venezuela, Syria, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Albany , New York

☆ DeSantis asks Trump-appointed judge to dismiss Disney's lawsuit against him, claiming immunity
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

DeSantis asked a federal judge to dismiss Disney's lawsuit against him, claiming he has immunity. The lawyers for the Florida governor also said Disney had no business filing in federal court. Ron DeSantis of Florida filed a motion in federal court Monday evening asking a judge to dismiss Walt Disney World's lawsuit against him. Disney's lawsuit accuses DeSantis and his office of engaging in "a targeted campaign of government retaliation" against Disney that was "orchestrated at every step by Governor DeSantis as punishment for Disney's protected speech." Attorneys for the governor said in the 27-page motion that the federal district Disney filed the lawsuit in lacks jurisdiction.

Persons: DeSantis, Trump, —, Ron DeSantis, Walt, Allen Winsor —, Donald Trump —, Governor DeSantis, Mark Walker, Barack Obama, Disney, Winsor, Pam Bondi, Meredith Ivey Organizations: Disney, Service, Gov, Walt Disney, Court, Northern District of, British, Florida's Department of Economic, Central Locations: Florida, Northern District, Northern District of Florida, Tallahassee, Central Florida

☆ The new judge in the Disney-DeSantis lawsuit is a Trump-appointee who gave the governor a win in his 'Don't Say Gay' law
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( Rebecca Harrington | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Allen Winsor, 46, has been a US District Judge in the Northern District of Florida since 2019. Before he became a US district judge, Winsor was a judge in Florida's First District Court of Appeal from 2016-2019. Winsor previously dismissed a lawsuit challenging the 'Don't Say Gay' billIn February 2023, Winsor issued a 21-page ruling dismissing a lawsuit challenging Florida's Parental Rights in Education Act, which opponents called the "Don't Say Gay" bill. In the hour-and-a-half-long conversation, four state solicitors general discussed various federal laws and lawsuits that they felt impeded states' rights. "He does not possess the neutrality and fair-mindedness necessary to serve in a lifetime position as a federal judge."

Persons: Allen Winsor, He's, Ron DeSantis, Winsor, —, Mark Walker, Insider's Kimberly Leonard, Donald Trump, Sen, Joe Manchin, — didn't, Trump, Mr, Pam Bondi's Organizations: Northern District of, Walt Disney Parks, Resorts, Gov, Service, Walt Disney Co, Disney, US Senate, Florida's, Auburn University, University of Florida, Plaintiffs, Federalist Society, Committee, Walt Disney World, Conference, Civil, Human Rights, Associated Press Locations: Northern District, Northern District of Florida, Florida, West Virginia, Orlando, Lake Buena Vista , Florida

☆ The judge assigned to hear Disney's lawsuit against Ron DeSantis just disqualified himself from the case because a 'third-degree' relative owns stock in the company. A Trump appointee will replace him
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Obama-nominated Judge Mark Walker recused himself from the Disney lawsuit. The case will now go before Judge Allen Winsor, a nominee of President Donald Trump — who is challenging DeSantis for the 2024 nomination for president. Walker denied that specific request, calling it "meritless" and accusing DeSantis of "rank judge-shopping," but he still disqualified himself from hearing Disney's lawsuit over the ethical conflict. Walt Disney Co., the parent company of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, is headquartered in Burbank, California, but the company holds powerful sway in Florida through Walt Disney World, which has roughly 70,000 employees and is the state's biggest tourist attraction. Neither a representative for the board, the governor's office, nor Disney immediately responded to a request for comment from Insider.

Persons: Obama, Mark Walker, Judge Allen Winsor, —, Ron DeSantis, Walker, Allen Winsor, Donald Trump —, Winsor, Pam Bondi, DeSantis, Barack Obama, Disney, Governor DeSantis Organizations: Disney, Trump, Service, Walt Disney Parks, Resorts, Florida Gov, Walt Disney Co, British, Court, Northern, Northern District of, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Walt Disney, Circuit Locations: Florida, Northern District, Northern District of Florida, Burbank , California, Central Florida

☆ Judge denies DeSantis bid to disqualify him from Disney case, but recuses himself anyway because his relative owns company's stock
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A sign near an entrance to Walt Disney World on May 22, 2023 in Orlando, Florida. Ron DeSantis recused himself from the case Thursday, days after learning that one of his relatives owns stock in The Walt Disney Company . Judge Mark Walker made the decision to remove himself from the case despite denying DeSantis' motion for him to be disqualified. While the judge did not identify the relative by name or relationship, third-degree relatives include great-grandparents, great grandchildren, great uncles and aunts as well as first cousins. Disney's allegations make clear that this case "involves significant economic interests for its parent corporation, in which my third-degree relative owns stock," the judge wrote.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Judge Allen Winsor, Donald Trump, Mark Walker, DeSantis, Walker, Barack Obama, —, Disney, Walt Disney, Weeks, Bob Chapek Organizations: Walt Disney World, Florida Gov, Walt Disney Company, Trump, DeSantis, United, Disney, Republican, Florida Legislature Locations: Orlando , Florida, United States, Tallahassee , Florida, Florida

☆ Judge in Disney World Case Steps Aside but Blasts DeSantis’s Lawyers
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Brooks Barnes | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A federal judge in Florida disqualified himself from a court case brought by Disney against Gov. Ron DeSantis, but not before blasting the governor’s legal team for engaging in “rank judge shopping.”In a ruling late Thursday, Mark E. Walker, the chief judge for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, said he would no longer preside over the case, filed by Disney last month. Disney accused Mr. DeSantis and a board that oversees government services at Disney World of engaging in “a targeted campaign of government retaliation.”The case was reassigned to Judge Allen C. Winsor, who was appointed to the court in 2019 by President Donald J. Trump. Lawyers for Mr. DeSantis had sought to disqualify Judge Walker, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, because he twice mentioned Mr. DeSantis’s actions against Disney in unrelated court cases last year. The lawyers contended that Judge Walker’s brief remarks, made as he was posing hypothetical questions, “could reasonably be understood to reflect that the court has prejudged Disney’s retaliation theory here, and therefore create significant doubts about the court’s impartiality.”

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Mark E, Walker, Disney, DeSantis, Allen C, Winsor, Donald J, Judge Walker, Barack Obama, Walker’s, “, ” Organizations: Disney, Gov, U.S, Northern, Northern District of, Trump, Lawyers, Mr Locations: Florida, Northern District, Northern District of Florida

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