Florida Lawyer Calls DeSantis’ Case ‘Fairy Tales and Pixie Dust’

Whenever someone returns from a trip to Walt Disney World in Central Florida, there are always the obligatory terms that they use to describe their magical vacation. Disney World was like a “fairy tale,” and the cast members sprinkled “pixie dust” everywhere to make the trip magical. It’s a stereotypical response to a trip to the Most Magical Place on Earth, but we wouldn’t keep returning if it weren’t true.

Related: “A Slow Motion Coup.” After Doing his Bidding on Disney, Florida Legislature Bucks DeSantis 

But in the legal world, when someone says that you are dealing with “fairy tales and pixie dust,” you should be concerned about the validity of your case. But that’s precisely what has happened to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. In an OP-ED in Florida Politics.Com, lawyer Danny McAuliffe says that Governor DeSantis and his fellow defendants in the Florida Legislature and on the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District have presented “fairy tales and pixie dust” as their defense.

McAuliffe pokes some holes in DeSantis’ defense, especially when he said he had the same political influence with the Florida Legislature as a lobbyist.

The Walt Disney Company claims that Florida Gov Ron DeSantis retaliated against it for speaking out against Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act, known by its critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. According to Disney’s complaint in Federal Court, the governor violated the company’s First Amendment Right to Free Speech. Part of Disney’s case relies upon the governor and Florida lawmaker’s words.

Related: Funny Story, DeSantis’ Disney Laws May Be Unconstitutional

According to McAuliffe, State Rep. Randy Fine said, “You got me on one thing: this bill does target one company. It targets The Walt Disney Company.” This shows a coordinated effort and that the lone target of that effort was Disney World’s special district. Disney also uses some of DeSantis’ stump speeches and his book against him in court.

McAuliffe wrote:

The judge will sort out the legal questions. Although, it doesn’t take a bar license to settle the facts. Most of what transpired is in plain view, thanks to the media coverage of the Disney duel and the outspokenness of DeSantis and his cronies. But the briefs don’t reflect reality. The once-vocal defendants seem to currently be suffering from a lack of forthrightness. Their versions focus largely on the unusual nature of Disney’s regulatory structure and avoid any discussion of the well-publicized authoritarian crusade preceding the lawsuit.

After Disney responded to the passage of the Parental Rights in Education law, DeSantis worked with state lawmakers to strip Disney World of the Reedy Creek Improvement District and replace it with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. But it appears that DeSantis’ power has waned with some of those same lawmakers.

The Florida governor is currently running for the Republican nomination for President, but he is far behind former President Donald Trump. When he returns to the state, Ron DeSantis will face a court challenge from Disney.

The Walt Disney Company has a separate lawsuit in state court against the members of the CFTOD, claiming that the Board violated the Contract Clause of the American Constitution.

But if McAuliffe’s OP-ED is any indication, DeSantis and his fellow defendants will struggle with the Disney litigation.

We will continue to update this story at Disney Fanatic.