The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press have voiced concern over the actions that Governor DeSantis has taken against Disney that led to Disney suing the governor. The legal advocacy group for journalists has filed a friend-of-the-court brief regarding Disney’s lawsuit against Governor DeSantis. The big picture reasoning is that a win by Governor DeSantis in this lawsuit could embolden other governments throughout the country to take actions against journalists and other media for exercising their First Amendment rights.
Last Friday the group asked a judge to file a friend-of-the-court brief in support of Disney’s claims against Governor DeSantis and other Florida leaders. There are two primary reasons behind this filing. First, the First Ammendment explicitely prohibits governments for retaliating against a speaker (in this case Disney) as DeSantis has done against Disney. The brief also says that “Disney has established a prima facie case of retaliation against their protected speech” and the state “has admitted as much.” The lawsuit claims that Governor DeSantis and other Florida leaders retaliated against Disney for coming out against the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill in 2022. Disney accuses the Governor of weaponizing government and infringing on its first amendment rights.
The committee asks the judge to deny DeSantis’ motion to dismiss the case and also side with Disney unequivocally in its lawsuit. Disney has strongly come out against this motion.
The committee voices concern that the impact of this lawsuit would be felt well beyond the 39 square miles of Walt Disney World Resort that is now governed by hand-picked board members for the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (formerly the Reedy Creek Improvement District).
“If Defendants prevail in this case, those on whose behalf the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press advocates will be first in the line of fire given the nature of reporting and the press’s role in our constitutional system,” the committee said in its request to file the supporting brief in the federal court in Tallahassee. “As such, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press’s proposed brief provides a voice to those not directly involved, but undoubtedly impacted by this case.”
