Credit: First Coast NewsThe lawsuits surrounding Governor Ron DeSantis, the First Amendment, and The Walt Disney Company just won’t stop.
DeSantis, Disney, and the Courtroom
Ron DeSantis and Disney have become nearly synonymous with the phrases “First Amendment lawsuit” and “legal battles” when the formerly peaceful relationship between the Florida chief executive and the state’s largest single-site employer suddenly imploded.
Due to the millions of tourists who visit the Walt Disney World Resort every year (bringing billions of dollars into the state economy), the Mouse has wielded significant influence in Florida for decades. Historically speaking, Disney has largely had a policy of working behind the scenes with politicians, donating on both sides of the aisle, and rarely taking up significant social policies.
That policy hit a hiccup in 2023 when former Disney CEO Bob Chapek publicly opposed the Parental Rights in Education Act, a signature piece of legislation from the far-right conservative Governor DeSantis. Although Chapek had initially attempted to keep Disney neutral over the “Don’t Say Gay” law, he eventually bowed to pressure from pro-LGBTQIA+ groups and spoke in opposition to it.
This didn’t go well for anyone. In short measure, Governor DeSantis dissolved the former Reedy Creek Improvement District, where most of Disney World had been located, and replaced it with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD), which is run by a board of close political allies (and, allegedly, cronies).
Disney hit back with several lawsuits, including one that accused DeSantis of violating the company’s First Amendment right to speak on political topics without reprisal from the government. The legal battle (there’s that phrase) raged for months in federal, state, and appeals courts and was only recently completely settled after the CFTOD voted to approve a massive new $17 billion Disney World expansion project.
But, it turns out that Governor DeSantis is now facing a new First Amendment lawsuit resulting, in part, from his heavy-handed attempts to force the arrest of protestors near Disney World.
“The Right of the People Peaceably to Assemble”
Governor Ron DeSantis is being sued by Shane Desguin, a former chief of staff at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). Desguin claims that both the politician and the FDLE retaliated against him when he opposed “directives” that he felt were illegal and/or unconstitutional (per CNN).
In this new whistleblower lawsuit, Shane Desguin claims he was forced to resign from his position after reporting alleged misconduct by the governor’s office and the FDLE (which does not report directly to DeSantis). According to the complaint:
“(Desguin) was subjected to disparate treatment, different terms and conditions of employment, and held to a different standard because he reported Defendants’ misfeasance, malfeasance, gross misconduct and unlawful employment activities and was subject to retaliation thereafter.”
Shane Desguin says that he was ordered multiple times to acquire “photographs, biometric data, and any other pertinent information by engaging with” migrants who arrived in Florida, which his suit says that the “FDLE could not legally conduct name checks, capture photographs, or compile intelligence files without a criminal predicate or reasonable suspicion,” according to the lawsuit.
DeSantis’ “public safety czar” Lawrence Keefe “conveyed that failure to comply with his directives would result in adverse consequences,” which is to say, retaliation.
Related: Governor DeSantis Defunds Florida Museums While Diverting Funds to Disney World
Even more pertinently, the Shane Desguin lawsuit says that he was pressured by DeSantis’ Chief of Staff Alex Kelly to arrest neo-Nazi protestors, despite their activities (objectionable as they may be) being covered under the First Amendment.
The suit alleges Kelly told Desguin, “I don’t think you understand. If you look hard enough, you can find a way. The Governor (DeSantis) wants someone arrested today. He (Defendant DeSantis) will stand by you in any arrest.”
While not specified in the lawsuit, it is probable that the neo-Nazi protest being referenced was one of several incidents at Disney World in 2023, further tying in the Mouse House to a First Amendment issue.
The FDLE released a statement regarding the lawsuit (via Newsweek), saying it had:
“[N]ot been noticed of this suit and we do not comment on any pending litigation. However, an internal investigation evidenced numerous acts of gross misconduct by Desguin. As evidenced by the findings of this investigation (which included the testimonies of dozens of employees), Shane Desguin and Patricia Carpenter created workplace chaos, endangered the safety of other employees, and acted dishonestly and unprofessionally. This included sexual harassment, workplace discrimination, and brandishing a firearm inside an office.
“We are glad that our association with these bad actors has ended, considering the disturbing allegations that were substantiated after a thorough investigation. Our FDLE members embody our fundamental values of Service, Integrity, Respect and Quality. Shane Desguin and Patricia Carpenter do not.”
Patricia Carpenter is another former FDLE employee who reported to Desguin and is represented by Marie Mattox. Mattox states (via Tampa Bay Times) that none of the above incidents referenced by the FDLE occurred and that the accusations are a “smear campaign.”
She claims that the agency “doubled down on (Desguin) after he left to smear his good name. They really have no choice but to try to cast doubt on his character because they cannot defend the charges that he made on the merits. So what do they do? They point the finger at him AFTER he was cleared of wrongdoing.”
Inside the Magic will continue to report on this new lawsuit.
What do you think of this latest legal action against Governor DeSantis? Tell us in the comments below!