The Republican Party of Florida at an emergency meeting on Sunday suspended chairman Christian Ziegler and demanded his resignation, adding to calls by Floria Governor Ron DeSantis and other top officials for him to step down as police investigate a rape accusation against him.
Ziegler is accused of raping a woman with whom he and his wife, Moms for Liberty cofounder Bridget Ziegler, had a prior consensual sexual relationship, police records showed.
“Christian Ziegler has engaged in conduct that renders him unfit for the office,” the party’s motion to censure the chairman said, according to a document posted on social media by Lee County Republican Party chairman Michael Thomason.
Photo: Reuters
Christian Ziegler tried to defend himself during the closed-door meeting, but the party board quickly took the action against him, Thompson said.
“[Christian] Ziegler on soap box trying to defend himself, not working,” Thompson posted before confirming the vote.
The party’s executive committee is to hold another vote in the future on whether to remove Christian Ziegler.
The Sarasota Police Department is investigating the woman’s accusation that Christian Ziegler raped her at her apartment in October. Police documents say the Zieglers and the woman had planned a sexual threesome that day, but Bridget Ziegler was unable to make it. The accuser says Christian Ziegler arrived anyway and assaulted her.
Christian Ziegler has not been charged with a crime and says he is innocent, contending the encounter was consensual.
The accusation has also caused turmoil for Bridget Ziegler, an elected member of the Sarasota School Board, although she is not accused of any crime.
The board on Tuesday last week voted to ask her to resign. She refused.
The couple have been outspoken opponents of LGBTQ+ rights, and their relationship with another woman has sparked criticism and accusations of hypocrisy.
In addition to DeSantis, Republican senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, US Representative Matt Gaetz and Florida’s Republican House of Representatives and Senate leaders have all called for Christian Ziegler’s resignation.
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