What would James Madison think of Gov. DeSantis’ attack on Disney? | Editorial

Saw that coming. In a move that should have shocked no one, Disney sued Gov. Ron DeSantis this week. The Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S. Inc. alleges that the state government — led by DeSantis ― targeted the company for opposing parts of the Parental Rights in Education Act, often referred to as the Don’t Say Gay bill. The merits of the case will get sorted out in court, but the dispute highlights how DeSantis and some of his supporters in the Legislature seem to forget that they are the government. James Madison and the other founders of this nation knew that rulers had to be kept in check. They knew it so deeply in their core that they wrote the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights to protect citizens — and, yes, companies — from the heavy hand of government. The First Amendment allows for the expression of opinions or ideas without interference or retaliation from the government. What would the founders think of a government that targets a company while officials say things, including “Disney is learning lessons and paying the political price of jumping out there on an issue” and “Go woke, go broke.” Disney is a massive company with a commensurate legal team. But just like people, no matter how big or small, companies have First Amendment rights, and the government cannot run roughshod over them.

A good death. A move to erode many of the legal protections against defamation lawsuits appears unlikely to pass during the current legislative session, which ends next week. Consider it a blessing. It was a bad bill based on a bad idea that would have resulted in some seriously bad outcomes. The bill would have undermined the landmark 1964 Supreme Court case New York Times v. Sullivan by changing what is considered a public figure in a defamation claim and eliminating the longstanding protections for the news media in its coverage of politicians, government officials and public figures. It would have had a chilling effect on all kinds of protected speech, all along the political spectrum. How is that adding to the freedom we hold so dear in the Free State of Florida? The bill’s supporters pitched it in part as giving the “little guy” a chance against large media companies, but the law already grants regular citizens — anyone not considered a public figure — looser standards from bringing and winning a defamation claim. Despite Gov. Ron DeSantis’ support and early indications that it might pass, the bill appears to be dead. Here’s hoping it stays dead.

More SunRunner. This good move really happened late last week, but it’s worth a shout out. Federal approval came through to expand the SunRunner rapid bus system, which runs from downtown St. Petersburg to St. Pete Beach. The original project came in $5 million under budget, and now the feds have given the go-ahead to buy two new buses and add a new stop in the 100 block of First Avenue N, near the Sundial parking garage. The new stop will give riders easier access to the Pier, nearby museums, the Cross-Bay Ferry and bustling Beach Drive. Love it or not, the SunRunner is here. It’s the city’s first attempt at what’s often called bus rapid transit, or BRT. For now, the SunRunner is free, and its ridership has grown every month since it opened six months ago, reaching about 115,000 — or about 3,700 per day — in March, according to the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority. The new buses and additional stop will help give the system a better opportunity at long-term success.

Editorials are the institutional voice of the Tampa Bay Times. The members of the Editorial Board are Editor of Editorials Graham Brink, Sherri Day, Sebastian Dortch, John Hill, Jim Verhulst and Chairman and CEO Conan Gallaty. Follow @TBTimes_Opinion on Twitter for more opinion news.