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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis moved Friday to disqualify the federal judge overseeing Disney
’s political retaliation lawsuit, alleging the judge’s comments in previous cases raise doubts about his impartiality.

Judge Mark Walker had in two separate cases “offered ‘Disney’ as an example of state retaliation” without being prompted, lawyers for DeSantis said in a court filing.

Those remarks “could reasonably imply that the Court has prejudged the retaliation question” in Disney’s case, they argued. That’s because Disney’s lawsuit alleges that DeSantis led a campaign of political retribution against the company after it criticized his controversial classroom bill, labeled “Don’t Say Gay” by critics.

“Because that question is now before this Court, and because that question involves highly publicized matters of great interest to Florida’s citizens, the Court should disqualify itself to prevent even the appearance of impropriety,” DeSantis’ legal team wrote.

Volkonski wrote: ↑Fri May 19, 2023 7:52 pm DeSantis moves to disqualify judge in Disney lawsuit over Florida tax district

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/19/desanti ... ified.html

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis moved Friday to disqualify the federal judge overseeing Disney
’s political retaliation lawsuit, alleging the judge’s comments in previous cases raise doubts about his impartiality.

Judge Mark Walker had in two separate cases “offered ‘Disney’ as an example of state retaliation” without being prompted, lawyers for DeSantis said in a court filing.

Those remarks “could reasonably imply that the Court has prejudged the retaliation question” in Disney’s case, they argued. That’s because Disney’s lawsuit alleges that DeSantis led a campaign of political retribution against the company after it criticized his controversial classroom bill, labeled “Don’t Say Gay” by critics.

“Because that question is now before this Court, and because that question involves highly publicized matters of great interest to Florida’s citizens, the Court should disqualify itself to prevent even the appearance of impropriety,” DeSantis’ legal team wrote.

NAACP says the advisory stems from "unrelenting attacks on fundamental freedoms from the Governor and his legislative body."

The advisory reads in part:

"Florida is openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals. Before traveling to Florida, please understand that the state of Florida devalues and marginalizes the contributions of, and the challenges faced by African Americans and other communities of color."
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DeSantis curtails diversity, equity and inclusion programs in Florida state colleges
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed a bill that blocks public colleges from using federal or state funding on diversity programs, addressing a concern of conservatives ahead of the Republican governor's expected presidential candidacy.

The law, which DeSantis proposed earlier this year, comes as Republicans across the country target programs on diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education.

The signing builds on the governor's larger push to shape Florida's education system by regulating how schools deal with subjects such as race and gender, with DeSantis arguing that he is challenging inappropriate liberal ideology in the classroom.

"Let me be clear - failing to teach an accurate representation of the horrors and inequalities that Black Americans have faced and continue to face is a disservice to students and a dereliction of duty to all," NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said in a statement. "Under the leadership of Governor Desantis, the state of Florida has become hostile to Black Americans and in direct conflict with the democratic ideals that our union was founded upon.

"He should know that democracy will prevail because its defenders are prepared to stand up and fight. We're not backing down, and we encourage our allies to join us in the battle for the soul of our nation."

The NAACP says they have distributed 10,000 books to 25 predominantly Black communities across Florida that had titles banned under the state's laws.

Diversity, equity and inclusion offices in higher education often spearhead services tailored to students of various races, genders, sexual orientations, cultures and abilities. Some college administrators also consider so-called DEI factors when admitting students, providing scholarships or deciding which faculty to hire and promote.

The law blocks public universities from diverting state or federal funds from going to programs or campus activities that advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion or promote political or social activism.

“In reality what this concept of DEI has been is to attempt to impose orthodoxy on the university,” DeSantis said at a bill signing ceremony in Sarasota. “This has basically been used as a veneer to impose an ideological agenda, and that is wrong."

The measure also bars curriculums that teach “identity politics” or “theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political, and economic inequities." The provision is aimed at curtailing education about critical race theory, a way of thinking about U.S. history through the lens of racism.

“I think [the travel advisory] will have a strong impact,” Yvette Lewis, president of the Hillsborough NAACP, said. “We cannot ensure the safety of African American people in the state of Florida and that their civil rights are not going to be violated because of the policies and all the laws that were directed toward African American people.”

To read the full travel advisory from the NAACP, click here.

10 Tampa Bay has reached out the governor's office for a response but have not yet heard back.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

10 Investigates Emerald Morrow first broke news earlier this year that the Florida chapter of the NAACP voted unanimously to ask its national office for the advisory.

Greg Price @greg_price11 wrote: DeSantis has changed his Twitter handle from RonDeSantisFL to @RonDeSantis

Numerous police officers lured to new jobs in Florida with cash from Governor Ron DeSantis’s flagship law enforcement relocation program have histories of excessive violence or have been arrested for crimes including kidnapping and murder since signing up, a study of state documents has found.

DeSantis, who is expected to launch his campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination this week, has spent more than $13.5m to date on the recruitment bonus program, which he touted in 2021 as an incentive to officers in other states frustrated by Covid-19 vaccination mandates.

“This will go a long way to ensuring we can have the best and the brightest filling our law enforcement ranks,” Florida’s Republican attorney general, Ashley Moody, said in April last year as DeSantis announced one-time $5,000 bonuses for new recruits.

TheGuardian wrote:However, among the almost 600 officers who moved to Florida and received the bonus – or were recruited in state – are a sizable number who either arrived with a range of complaints against them, or have since accrued criminal charges, the online media outlet Daily Dot has discovered.

They include a former trainee deputy with the Escambia county sheriff’s office charged with murdering her husband; an officer with the Miramar police department fired for domestic battery and kidnapping; and a former member of the New York police department (NYPD) who was hired by the Palm Beach police department having once been accused of an improper sexual proposition.

That officer, named by the Daily Dot as Daniel Meblin, was also part of a $160,000 settlement by the NYPD for violence at a 2020 protest against the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd in which officers were accused of beating Black males without provocation.

A Palm Beach police spokesperson told the Daily Dot that Meblin – who had complaints against him including abuse of authority and sexually propositioning a teenager – had disclosed his background during the hiring process, according to the NYPD watchdog 50-a.org.

He has been an “exemplary” officer since he was hired in October 2022, the same month he left the NYPD, the spokesperson said, while denying a request to allow Meblin to be interviewed.

The Daily Dot compiled its report from state records it obtained from the Florida department of economic opportunity through a Freedom of Information Act request. The undated document lists payments of more than $8.8m split between 1,310 newly hired officers, with most receiving $6,693.44 from the signing-on and additional bonuses.

sugar magnolia wrote: ↑Tue May 23, 2023 6:10 am Stuff like this needs to be publicized, no question, but it's irritating that they can't just present it accurately. That is not "100s of thousands" of books. Just show the boxes of books lining the halls and let people know what is going on. No point in adding inaccurate info to make it look worse. It's bad enough as it is.

Phoenix520 wrote: ↑Tue May 23, 2023 10:23 am Perhaps it was happening in multiple locations at the same time? Maybe they meant  “hundreds thousands” of books?