The watchdog group First Amendment Foundation and publishers of several newspapers, including the Miami Herald and the Tampa Bay Times, banded together Tuesday to sue Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and multiple government officials over a meeting at Jerusalem's U.S. Embassy that they claim violated the Sunshine Law.

But the complaint fell flat because DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet couldn't be served, according to a report from one of the plaintiffs' publications, the Tallahassee Democrat. The plaintiffs had requested an emergency hearing to stop the meeting from going ahead Wednesday or have it voided after the fact. But Judge Angela C. Dempsey said no, and denied an emergency motion for reconsideration.

DeSantis arrived in Israel on May 26 for a five-day business development mission, flanked by about 90 political, business and academic leaders. Lawyers from Greenberg Traurig, DLA PIper, GrayRobinson, Holland & Knight and White & Case are among the attendees.

The lawsuit pointed the finger at DeSantis, the Florida Cabinet, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis and Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried, accusing them of wrongfully arranging the meeting more than 6,000 miles away from the citizens they serve.

Florida's Sunshine statutes mandate an open government, meaning public agencies such as DeSantis' and the Cabinet must give citizens reasonable notice of when and where meetings will be held, and what's on the agenda.

Lauren Schenone, director of public affairs for the attorney general, said, “We fully intend to comply with the Sunshine Law and defend against this lawsuit.”

Moody also told reporters that her office had been “diligent about reviewing the Florida Sunshine statutes, making sure that we are in compliance.”

The remaining defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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At the meeting, DeSantis signed a resolution to demonstrate Florida's support for Israel, then discussed water quality, emergency management and terrorism.

Times Publishing Co., which produces various newspapers and magazines, including the Tampa Bay Times, declined to comment.

Other plaintiffs did not respond before deadline and include the Miami Herald Media Co.; Gannett Co. Inc., which owns publications such as USA Today, Florida Today and the Naples Daily News; and Gatehouse Media LLC, publisher of the Palm Beach Post, the Daytona Beach News Journal and others.

“Holding a meeting at this distance in such a facility violates the constitutional and statutory rights of Florida citizens (and the news media) to personally observe the workings of, and for the public to offer comment to, their state's highest officials,” the complaint said.

Journalists have been “severely restricted” in how they can cover the meeting because of embassy security concerns, according to the complaint, which claims a governor's office representative said the meeting won't violate the Sunshine Law as it's an “information-gathering session,” not geared toward considering board or agency business. The plaintiffs argue that doesn't matter, as informational sessions are governed by the Sunshine Law.

Media and First Amendment lawyer Gregg D. Thomas of Thomas & LoCicero in Tampa filed the complaint in Leon Circuit Court, but did not respond before deadline.

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