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Quinn Emanuel Delivers The 'Find Out' To Ron DeSantis's 'F Around'

Norwegian Cruise Lines is having none of this nonsense.

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(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Ron DeSantis thinks he’s going to be president. It’s unclear why he thinks the Republican nominee is going to be anyone not named “Trump,” but he’s pretty sure he can swing it if he stays well within the rails of the crazy train long enough to earn an endorsement. Assuming Donald Trump isn’t going to flex his Grover Cleveland muscle.

If the big guy does stand down, then think of DeSantis as locked in a three-year primary with Don Jr. for Trump’s love where the coin of the realm is “owning the libs no matter what the cost.”

DeSantis already passed a flagrantly unconstitutional social media law to ingratiate himself to the class of morons who think “free speech” means “private actors must give my voice special treatment” and lit any hope of his state becoming a tech hub on fire in the process.

Now he’s decided to bite the hand that feeds the state by declaring war on cruise lines who want to get back to — pun fully intended — full steam ahead. As cruise lines are floating petri dishes and manage to pull off their business by taking every reasonable step to keep disease at bay, the industry has a vested interest in a vaccine passport system to limit passengers to the lowest possible risk actors. It’s the only way they can get back to filling every cabin and holding every limbo party.

DeSantis banned vaccine requirements and instituted a $5,000 penalty to any business that asks for proof of vaccination. Despite begging from the cruise industry, DeSantis held firm with his plan to self-immolate his state’s health in the name of currying favor with GOP donors.

Now he’s about to find out.

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Norwegian Cruise Lines, through its counsel Quinn Emanuel, sued Florida for actively jacking its whole business model in the name of trolling.

Did you wonder why Florida thought it could target cruise lines that operate in international waters out of ports regulated by the federal government? WE DID TOO! It seems as though the federal regulations here more than occupy the space, rendering Florida’s law a non-sequitur. Did you think that a statute that forces private actors to expose themselves without consent to dangerous medical situations raised due process concerns? BECAUSE THE REAL LAWYERS DID! Were you reading about this bill and thinking it raised Dormant Commerce Clause issues? Well, no, you probably weren’t because no one has thought about the dormant commerce clause since law school, but QUINN WAS ON TOP OF IT!

This bill was stupid when proposed and it’s stupid now. Good for Norwegian to force the issue with this chump.

Unfortunately, we all know where this is going. It’s a rigged game. As soon as Florida loses this case, DeSantis begins the “oh, the courts are so biased against us” whining and manages to get full credit for championing the inane law without feeling the sting of its blowback. In three years, he’ll actively tout tourism’s recovery without ever getting called out for his attempt to run the industry into a metaphorical iceberg.

But maybe getting tagged as a loser will derail his hopes in the Trump orbit where “always look like you’re winning” is everything. If he does lose, at least once he’s out of public life he can enjoy a long cruise.

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Check out the whole complaint here.

HeadshotJoe Patrice is a senior editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Feel free to email any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on Twitter if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news. Joe also serves as a Managing Director at RPN Executive Search.

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