Florida board picked by DeSantis to countersue Disney By Reuters

By Dawn Chmielewski

(Reuters) -A district board appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to oversee development in and Foreign exchange dealers that can trade tryaround Walt (NYSE:) Co's Florida theme parks on Monday said it would file a countersuit against Disney in state court, according to prepared remarks seen by Reuters.

The decision, which escalates tensions between Disney and the state of Florida, comes in response to a lawsuit Disney filed last week in federal district court against DeSantis and members of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight district board. The company accused the governor and his supporters of illegally using state government to punish the company for voicing an opinion that should be protected by free-speech rights.

"Since Disney sued us, we have no choice now but to respond," board Chairman Martin Garcia said. 

The skirmish began last year after Disney criticized a Florida measure banning classroom discussion of sexuality and gender identity with younger children. DeSantis, a Republican who is expected to soon declare that he will run for U.S. president, repeatedly attacked "woke Disney" in public remarks.

Florida lawmakers passed legislation that ended Disney's virtual autonomy in central Florida where the Disney World theme parks attract millions of visitors each year.

In its lawsuit, Disney also took issue with the DeSantis-appointed board's assessment that development contracts Disney reached with its predecessors, which laid the foundation for billions of future Disney investment in its Walt Disney World resort, were "void."

"The government action was patently retaliatory, patently anti-business, and patently unconstitutional," Disney asserted in its legal filing.

Martin said the oversight board had no role in enacting the legislation that Disney "has been complaining about," but is merely following the laws enacted by the Florida legislature.

The oversight board's actions, Martin said, were taken to promote the public good.

"The district will seek justice in state court here in central Florida where both it and Disney reside and do business," Martin said.

DeSantis weighed in on the Disney dispute at a press conference held Monday to sign several bills that he said would strengthen law and order in the state.

"It is wrong for one corporation to basically corrupt the local government and run it as its own fiefdom, be exempt from laws, have all kinds of benefits that nobody else has," DeSantis said.

The Florida governor said he is carrying out the "will of the people," and Disney is "putting their thumb in the eye of the voters of the state."

DeSantis’ clash with Disney has been a centerpiece of his speeches as he toured the United States ahead of his expected presidential bid. But as the battle has intensified, it has brought mounting political risk.

Former President Donald Trump, the favorite for the Republican nomination, has slammed DeSantis’ stance, saying on social media that the governor "is being destroyed by Disney" and warning that the company would reduce its investments in Florida.

The dispute even earned a mention during Saturday's White House Correspondent's Dinner, with Democratic President Joe Biden joking that he had jokes about DeSantis prepared, but "Mickey Mouse beat the hell out of me" and got there first.

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