DeSantis Asks Judge Be Disqualified From Disney Lawsuit

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Gov. Ron DeSantis is asking that a federal judge be disqualified from the First Amendment lawsuit filed by Disney against the Florida governor and his appointees. The DeSantis motion filed Friday claims U.S. District Judge Mark Walker’s prior statements have raised questions about his impartiality on the state’s efforts to take over Disney World’s governing body. Disney’s lawsuit alleges the Republican governor and his appointees violated the company’s right to free speech, as well as the contracts clause, by taking over the special governing district that previously had been controlled by Disney supporters. Walker was nominated to the federal bench in 2012 by President Barack Obama.