Left: Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at the Moms for Liberty meeting in Philadelphia, Friday, June 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Right: A statue of Walt Disney and Micky Mouse stands in front of the Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Jan. 9, 2019. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File). Inset: Gov. Ron DeSantis.
In the escalating legal battle between the Sunshine State and the Magic Kingdom, Gov. Ron DeSantis is apparently willing to wait it out.
According to court filings, Disney has requested that the parties try to mediate the retaliation and First Amendment lawsuit the entertainment giant filed in April. Disney alleges that the Republican governor took political action against the Mouse House for its opposition to Florida’s 2022 anti-LGBTQ “Don’t Say Gay” law, which prohibits “classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in certain grade levels or in a specified manner.”
According to a joint filing by the parties, Disney wants to try to mediation or try to resolve the case by agreement ahead of trial.
“Plaintiff proposes that early mediation may be beneficial in this case,” the filing says. Disney suggested a mediation deadline of Nov. 1. Should mediation fail, and assuming neither side wins an early judgment motion, Disney offered a trial date of July 15, 2024.
DeSantis, however, apparently doesn’t want to come to the mediation table.
“Defendants at this time do not believe mediation would be productive in this case,” the filing says.
DeSantis also opposes setting deadlines generally in the case, instead preferring to wait for the outcome of his motion to dismiss.
“Defendants believe it is premature to set a case schedule in light of the pending motions to dismiss, which may result in the complaint being entirely dismissed or significantly narrowed,” the filing says. However, should U.S. District Judge Allen Cothrel Winsor — an appointee of DeSantis’ political rival, former President Donald Trump — want to get some dates on the calendar, Florida had a few to offer.
“Defendants’ suggested trial date is August 4, 2025,” the filing says.
That puts the potential start of the legal face-off well after the 2024 presidential election.
Disney also opposed staying discovery pending the outcome of the motion to dismiss the lawsuit. DeSantis, on the other hand, wants to hold off on discovery until that motion is decided or set a completion deadline of March 2025.
Read the joint report, below.
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