In a major blow to the Walt Disney Company, a federal judge in Tallahassee dismissed their free speech lawsuit against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Wednesday. The judge, Allen Winsor, ruled that Disney lacked standing in its First Amendment lawsuit against the governor and his appointees to the Disney World governing district. This decision effectively ends Disney's attempts to regain control of the district through the federal court system, leaving their remaining hopes in a separate state court challenge.

The feud between DeSantis and Disney began in 2022 when the company publicly opposed Florida's "don't say gay" law, which prohibited classroom discussions on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades. DeSantis, a Republican, championed the law and retaliated against Disney by taking over the district that the company had controlled for over five decades. He appointed five board members loyal to him, effectively stripping Disney of its self-governing powers within the district.

In response to the judge's ruling, Governor DeSantis released a statement praising the decision and stating that it puts an end to Disney's attempts to control its own special government and receive benefits not available to other businesses in the state. The governor recently suspended his campaign for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, making this victory against Disney a significant win for him.

However, this is not the end of the legal battle between Disney and the state of Florida. The company has filed a separate lawsuit in state court in Orlando, claiming that the oversight government for Walt Disney World has violated Florida's public records law by failing to release documents and properly preserve records. This ongoing legal dispute highlights the strained relationship between Disney and the state government.

In a court filing, a Disney spokesperson stated that this case has serious implications for the rule of law and that it will not end with this ruling. The company plans to appeal the decision, indicating that they are not willing to give up their fight to regain control of the district that governs Walt Disney World.

The conflict between Disney and Governor DeSantis has been ongoing for nearly two years, with tensions escalating over the company's criticism of the Florida education law and the subsequent takeover of the tax district. Before the takeover, Disney had signed contracts worth $17 billion for development plans over the next decade. The attempt by DeSantis and his allies to void these contracts resulted in dueling lawsuits, with Disney suing in federal court and the new appointees filing a counter lawsuit in state court.

Judge Winsor's dismissal of Disney's federal case is a significant victory for Governor DeSantis. The lawsuit had accused him of using government power to retaliate against Disney for expressing a political viewpoint, which the company claimed violated their constitutional rights and threatened their business operations. However, Judge Winsor found that the law giving DeSantis control of the tax district did not allow Disney to claim retaliation, as it affected other landowners as well.

This ruling has far-reaching implications for both Disney and the state of Florida. It sets a precedent for the limits of free speech challenges against government actions and reinforces the power of the governor to control special tax districts. The outcome of the pending state court challenge will determine whether Disney can regain control of the district, but for now, Governor DeSantis has emerged victorious in this legal battle.