DeSantis seeks to remove biased judge in Disney case.

DeSantis Lawyers Request Disqualification of Judge in Disney Dispute

Background

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican considering a 2024 presidential run, is being sued by Walt Disney Co. for allegedly targeting the company’s leadership’s political views. Disney claims that DeSantis “weaponized” state government in retaliation for the company’s criticism of a law that banned classroom discussion of sexuality and gender identity with younger children. The company alleges that DeSantis rallied the Republican-controlled legislature to strike back at “woke Disney” and seize control of an administrative district that helped Disney develop theme parks and resorts. The district, originally known as Reedy Creek Improvement District, was also named as a defendant.

The Request

DeSantis’s lawyers filed a motion on Friday in Tallahassee, Florida, asking U.S. District Judge Mark Walker to be recused in the case. They argued that the judge demonstrated potential partiality while handling separate cases in which he mentioned Disney as an example of state retaliation. DeSantis’s lawyers said that considering Walker’s statements, “the court’s impartiality in this matter might reasonably be questioned.”

Implications

DeSantis is expected to announce his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination in the coming days. If he does, he could be a potentially tough challenger to front-runner Donald Trump. The eventual Republican nominee is expected to challenge President Joe Biden, a Democrat, in November 2024.

Reporting by Jason Lange in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis