Disney drops part of its lawsuit against DeSantis

A lawsuit filed by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his hand-picked oversight board has been amended to drop all but one claim.
According to the lawsuit, filed in federal court, DeSantis and his allies are accused of using their political power to retaliate against the company for exercising its First Amendment right to free speech.
Disney’s business operations are now threatened, its economic future in the region is threatened, and its constitutional rights have been violated as a result of a targeted government retaliation campaign orchestrated at every step by Governor DeSantis as punishment for its protected speech.
Disney, one of Florida’s biggest taxpayers and employers, and DeSantis are involved in an ongoing dispute. As a result of Disney’s opposition to DeSantis’ “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which bans certain sexual orientation and gender identity instruction in Florida classrooms, tensions rose last year. It was signed into law by DeSantis in March 2022.
In the amended lawsuit, the company claims that DeSantis has illegally punished the company since it spoke out. A spokesperson for DeSantis pointed to a motion filed by his team last month in which Disney “effectively concedes” many of its original claims.
DeSantis’ representative on Thursday pointed to this passage in that month-old filing: “The Governor welcomes Disney’s surrender on all of its claims challenging his legislative actions.” In regards to the claims Disney continues to press, Disney lacks standing to sue the Governor for them.