Ron DeSantis and his Disney District are facing major challenges with regards to his Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD). Recent controversial claims have caused a great deal of trouble for the Florida Governor.
New CFTOD Allegations Puts Ron DeSantis and his Disney District on the Hot Seat
Disney has recently filed new legal documents in the ongoing litigation against the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. The lawsuit, which Disney initiated in December of last year, accuses the district of multiple violations in relation to public records requests. These violations include the failure to produce, retain, and retrieve documents, which are all in violation of Florida’s Public Records Act.
Disney has recently filed documents in which it explains its request for immediate injunctive relief from the court. In these documents, Disney is seeking the court’s approval to grant immediate injunctive relief and instruct the CFTOD to conduct a comprehensive forensic imaging of personal devices owned by departing employees and Board Members. Furthermore, Disney is also requesting that employees be mandated to deactivate the auto-delete functions on their individual devices and be prohibited from using external messaging applications that have auto-delete features.
Disney’s legal representatives have claimed that there has been discriminatory treatment towards their public records requests by CFTOD in a retaliatory manner. This assertion was made in the correspondence between the two parties, which dates back to January.
Disney CEO Bob Iger initially accused DeSantis of retaliation against Disney. At the Annual Meeting of Shareholders last April, Iger stated that DeSantis had deliberately chosen to retaliate against Disney after Disney’s voting rights were revoked and DeSantis appointed his own Board to oversee the local taxing district that includes Disney.
The lawsuit is expected to go through the discovery phase, including factual and expert investigations, by April 12. The trial is scheduled for June 24, indicating that the legal process may continue for a while. Additionally, another lawsuit between the parties has been rescheduled for a hearing on July 25, suggesting an ongoing legal battle. Furthermore, a third lawsuit is currently in the appeals process.
The legal battle between Disney and Governor DeSantis has been going on for some time. It gained even more momentum when Walt Disney World Resort publicly spoke out against DeSantis’ “Don’t Say Gay Bill” in 2022, under the leadership of former Disney CEO Bob Chapek. Things escalated further when Governor Ron DeSantis took charge of the former Reedy Creek Improvement District. The Walt Disney Company, now led by CEO Bob Iger, is actively involved in these matters, showing their strong resolve to challenge Governor DeSantis’ actions.
DeSantis isn’t the only one grappling with the House of Mouse. Investment firms Trian Group and Blackwells Capital are vying for seats on the Disney Board of Directors.
In addition, there have been recent resignations from important positions in Disney’s governing district, the CFTOD. The Board of Supervisors, which is responsible for overseeing operations at Walt Disney World and appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis, is currently facing a situation where another member has unexpectedly stepped down from their role.
Administrator Glen Gilzean and Chairman Martin Garcia have both resigned this week, sparking speculation about the reasons behind their departures and raising concerns about the internal turmoil within the CFTOD. The recent revelations of these scandals suggest that the future of DeSantis and his governing district is uncertain.
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