Donald Trump may be battling Ron DeSantis (before he even starts his presidential campaign), but DeSantis is a little busy fighting someone else: a company whose mascot is a mouse. The Florida Governor has been duking it out with The Walt Disney Company for over a year now, all because they refuse to discriminate against LGBTQIA+ people. So far Disney has been able to one-up DeSantis, cleverly out-maneuvering his weaker chess moves. But now it seems they just want to get it over with and are getting the law involved.
As per NBC News, Disney filed a lawsuit in federal court on Wednesday accusing DeSantis and his team of a “targeted campaign of government retaliation” for their public opposition to his so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill. They allege that his retaliatory campaign was “orchestrated at every step by Governor DeSantis as punishment for Disney’s protected speech” and “now threatens Disney’s business operations, jeopardizes its economic future in the region, and violates its constitutional rights.”
The lawsuit also includes this incredible phrase: “Disney regrets that it has come to this.”
But they have no choice, they say, but to take DeSantis to court:
“But having exhausted efforts to seek a resolution, the Company is left with no choice but to file this lawsuit to protect its cast members, guests, and local development partners from a relentless campaign to weaponize government power against Disney in retaliation for expressing a political viewpoint unpopular with certain State officials.”
The lawsuit went over big on social media. Some found it all very surreal.
Something inherently funny about the phrase “Disney regrets that it has come to this” https://t.co/usdFEkpNlj pic.twitter.com/uqZCKc0ale
— Mike Bird (@Birdyword) April 26, 2023
Others couldn’t believe that they were siding with Disney, a corporation that’s arguably too large, that owns too much IP, that has long had a questionable effect upon the culture, that was co-founded by a figure both brilliant and devious. Then again, Walter Elias Disney was no Meatball Ron.
Disney is suing DeSantis!!
Let’s f*cking go!!! pic.twitter.com/ZFVpK7bV3F— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) April 26, 2023
I don’t know dick all about the legalities but what I do know is disney has an army of very well paid private lawyers specializing in this one specific arena and florida has a couple of poorly paid jack-of-all-trade republican doofus lawyers going up against it https://t.co/GFnQcmqf7e
— kilgore trout, blue check blocker (@KT_So_It_Goes) April 26, 2023
This is thrilling news. I certainly have my issues with them but they are dead right here. Go Disney. Disney sues Gov. Ron DeSantis, alleging political retaliation https://t.co/SIZhJEqYdq
— Abigail Disney (@abigaildisney) April 26, 2023
So Disney is suing DeSantis, claiming he weaponized government power. The case is Mickey v. Dopey. https://t.co/CfklSA3d5L
— Dan Rather (@DanRather) April 26, 2023
I also regret that it has come to this (me having to side with Disney’s lawyers) https://t.co/AWsf8nkZSI
— Mrs. Detective Pikajew, Esq. (@clapifyoulikeme) April 26, 2023
Others were more specifically anti-DeSantis.
its even funnier when you realize he only went after disney to get tucker interviews https://t.co/0WEEDyO9u6
— Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) April 26, 2023
holy fucking shit, Disney just sued Ron DeSantis. Mickey Mouse has had just about enough of Lizard McPuddingfinger’s fascist bullshit
— Jeff Tiedrich (@itsJeffTiedrich) April 26, 2023
There were jokes.
Newly released photo of Disney’s legal team pic.twitter.com/U7IYoEwoz6
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) April 26, 2023
“Disney regrets that it has come to this” is what I would expect to hear moments before being executed by Mickey Mouse somewhere out in the desert and buried in a shallow grave. https://t.co/8hgi2KBr9d
— Janel Comeau (@VeryBadLlama) April 26, 2023
Ron DeFuhrer went to Japan to escape Mickey Mouse, only to find out he has an outpost in Japan also. pic.twitter.com/NrofAJ6Ef4
— Jay (@JazzyJ87283918) April 25, 2023
The lawsuit even prompted a response from a perhaps surprising person: fellow Republican (and likely 2024 rival) Nikki Haley, who beckoned Disney to South Carolina, where she once governed.
Hey @Disney, my home state will happily accept your 70,000+ jobs if you want to leave Florida.
We’ve got great weather, great people, and it’s always a great day in South Carolina!
SC’s not woke, but we’re not sanctimonious about it either. pic.twitter.com/uf1PWQjGc5
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) April 26, 2023
Anyway, good job, Ron DeSantis, bringing together people of all stripes to cheer on one of the largest and hungriest corporations on the planet.
(Via NBC News)