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ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ board appointees are in search of communications between Disney and native media, in addition to paperwork associated to the corporate’s place on Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Homosexual” legislation, as a part of a state court docket combat over management of the district that governs Walt Disney World.
The request for paperwork and communications was made Thursday by the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, now managed by DeSantis appointees. It sued Disney this 12 months over management of the non-public authorities which regulates design and building and offers municipal companies corresponding to mosquito management and street repairs on the Florida theme park resort.
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The district desires all Disney communications about DeSantis, in addition to communications coping with legal guidelines handed by the Republican-dominated Florida Legislature that switched management of the district from Disney supporters to the governors’ appointees and nullified offers the corporate made with the Disney-controlled district earlier than the state takeover.
The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, previously referred to as the Reedy Creek Enchancment District, was managed by Disney allies for greater than 5 many years till it was taken over by DeSantis appointees earlier this 12 months. The takeover of the district got here after Disney publicly opposed a state legislation banning classroom classes on sexual orientation and gender id in early grades. The legislation, dubbed by opponents as “Don’t Say Homosexual,” was championed by DeSantis, who presently is operating for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.
Earlier than management of the district modified arms from Disney allies to DeSantis appointees, the Disney supporters on its board signed agreements with Disney shifting management over design and building at Disney World to the corporate. The brand new DeSantis appointees claimed the “eleventh-hour offers” neutered their powers, and the district sued the corporate in state court docket to have the contracts voided.
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Disney has filed counterclaims which embrace asking the state court docket to declare the agreements legitimate and enforceable.
Attorneys for the governing district on Thursday additionally mentioned that they deliberate to take depositions of Disney attorneys, planners and lobbyists. Among the many matters they intend to cowl is how supervisors to the outdated district board have been chosen and what sort of land transactions occurred between them, the court docket papers mentioned.
Disney and DeSantis and his allies are also battling in federal court docket, the place the corporate has sued DeSantis, claiming the governor violated its free speech rights by punishing it for expressing opposition to the legislation. DeSantis and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District have requested a federal decide to throw out Disney’s First Modification lawsuit, calling it meritless. A listening to is scheduled for subsequent month in Tallahassee.
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Observe Mike Schneider on X, previously often called Twitter: ↕MikeSchneiderAP.
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