Judge disqualifies himself in Disney lawsuit

[cato potatoe]

Judge disqualifies himself in Disney lawsuit despite rejecting DeSantis request

U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker on Thursday disqualified himself from presiding over the court battle between the Walt Disney Company and Gov. Ron DeSantis, but for different reasons than stated in a motion by DeSantis’ legal team which Walker called “nothing more than rank judge-shopping.”

Lawyers for the governor filed a motion for Walker’s disqualification last month claiming that in another case, the judge asked questions that suggested bias in favor of Disney. The entertainment giant filed a federal lawsuit against DeSantis, accusing him of retaliating against the company for speaking out against the Parental Rights in Education Law, dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” law by critics. The law prohibits classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity for young students.


https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/06/01/judge-disqualifies-himself-in-disney-lawsuit-despite-rejecting-desantis-request/

[cato potatoe]

The replacement judge is a Trump nominee:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Winsor

[libertybele]

The replacement judge is a Trump nominee:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Winsor

Gee...doubtful that he will rule in DeSantis' favor.

[cato potatoe]

Gee...doubtful that he will rule in DeSantis' favor.

Haha.  It does give one pause.  But with few exceptions, Trump's judges have been excellent.

Judge Walker undoubtedly would have proceeded without waiting for the Disney case to clear the Florida courts, and ultimately would have ruled in Disney's favor.  This gives me hope for a fair trial.

[PeteS in CA]

In his order denying DeSantis’ request but still choosing to disqualify himself, Walker revealed that last week he learned that a relative owns 30 shares of Disney stock and because any decision in the case could financially impact a close relative, he is obligated to remove himself from the case.

Walker acknowledged that the 30 shares likely does not amount to a large sum of money but even if a family member owned just one share worth $1, that would still be enough to trigger his disqualification.

  The judge disqualified himself because he actually is prejudiced, but petty enough to gin up a different, silly, reason. Squids squirt ink when they flee.

[Kamaji]

The judge disqualified himself because he actually is prejudiced, but petty enough to gin up a different, silly, reason. Squids squirt ink when the flee.

Yup.

[PeteS in CA]

Projection: Disney's hand-picked judge reverses, recuses -- and accuses

https://hotair.com/ed-morrissey/2023/06/02/projection-disneys-hand-picked-judge-reverses-recuses-and-accuses-n555135

And the New York Times offers its stenographic services as well. Disney filed a lawsuit against the State of Florida earlier this year over the dismantling of the Reedy Creek tax district, even before the state legislature arguably mooted the issue with new statutory authority for the replacement district. When they did so, they filed the suit in the Northern District rather than the Middle District, which covers Orlando and the tax district. Florida countersued in the Middle District.

Why did Disney choose the Northern District? Its chief judge, Mark E. Walker, has long expressed hostility to Ron DeSantis and sympathy for Disney — even on the record in court. Disney clearly hoped Walker would use his authority to assign himself the case, which he did, and which prompted a motion for disqualification from the state. Walker refused to recuse over the bias evident in comments made in other cases, but decided that a “third degree” connection to a relative that owns a whopping 30 shares of Disney stock required that he step aside:

I hadn't heard that Disney tried a bit of judicial district sleight-of-hand.

[cato potatoe]

I hadn't heard that Disney tried a bit of judicial district sleight-of-hand.

Disney attorneys have done everything they reasonably could to antagonize the state.  As soon as he took over, Bob Iger should have buried the hatchet with Florida, thereby preserving Disney’s nonpartisan image.  He was too arrogant to consider it.