Florida GOP votes to remove Christian Ziegler as chair after allegation of rape
The Republican Party of Florida voted overwhelmingly Monday to remove Christian Ziegler as chair in the wake of a rape allegation that has sparked a police investigation.
Ziegler’s removal caps a tumultuous period for Florida Republicans that saw two of their top figures engulfed in scandal.
Ziegler was accused of rape by a woman who said she previously had a consensual three-way sexual encounter with the GOP leader and his wife, Sarasota County School Board member and Moms for Liberty co-founder Bridget Ziegler, according to search warrant affidavits.
Another three-way was planned on the night of the alleged rape, according to the affidavits, but Bridget Ziegler couldn’t attend and Christian Ziegler showed up at the woman’s apartment anyway, which is when the alleged crime occurred.
Christian Ziegler also is being investigated for video voyeurism after recording the Oct. 2 sexual encounter, which he says was consensual.
The rape allegation has roiled the Florida GOP as it tries to gear up for the 2024 election, with Gov. Ron DeSantis and every other statewide elected official calling on Ziegler to step down as Florida GOP chair.
Ziegler has maintained his innocence and refused to step down, prompting his forced removal.
The police investigation is ongoing and Ziegler hasn’t been charged with any crimes, but Florida GOP officials say that even if he doesn’t face charges, the conduct revealed in the police affidavits raises moral issues that make him unfit to lead the party.
Bridget Ziegler also has been under pressure to resign from the Sarasota School Board. Fellow conservative board members approved a resolution calling on her to step down, but Ziegler remains in the job.
The Zieglers were a Florida GOP power couple before the sex scandal upended their political careers. They were leading advocates for DeSantis’ culture war agenda, particularly around LGBTQ issues in schools. Bridget Ziegler campaigned with DeSantis during their 2022 re-election bids and was with the governor when he signed legislation derided by critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
After years of moral crusading by the Zieglers and Florida GOP leaders, the moral questions raised by the police investigation into Christian Ziegler have prompted calls of hypocrisy that threatened to engulf the Florida GOP heading into another critical election year. That may be why Republicans moved so quickly to oust Ziegler and replace him.
The vote to remove Ziegler came five weeks after the rape investigation became public on Nov. 30. The Florida GOP also is choosing Ziegler’s replacement Monday.
The Florida GOP’s executive committee met at the Tallahassee Conference Center Monday to vote on ousting Ziegler. The vote wasn’t unanimous, according to multiple sources.
The parking lot of the Conference Center filled up with black SUVs and pickup trucks as more than 200 committee members and party activists arrived.
In attendance were Congressman Neal Dunn, Matt Gaetz and Bryon Donalds, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis and state Senate President Kathleen Passidomo.
As voters filed into the meeting hall, party Vice Chair Evan Power, who is seeking to replace Ziegler as chair, greeted them at the door and mingled with others inside. A volunteer from Republican National Committeeman Peter Feaman, who is running for chair, distributed cards declaring Feaman’s mission is to restore “Good Name and Reputation of RPOF!”
Shortly after 1:00, the assembled recited the Pledge of Alliance and then announced those without official name tags must leave the room. Sheriff Deputies closed the doors once the non-voting public, mostly party activists dressed in red, had exited the room.
The Republican Party of Florida voted overwhelmingly Monday to remove Christian Ziegler as chair in the wake of a rape allegation that has sparked a police investigation.
Ziegler’s removal caps a tumultuous period for Florida Republicans that saw two of their top figures engulfed in scandal.
Ziegler was accused of rape by a woman who said she previously had a consensual three-way sexual encounter with the GOP leader and his wife, Sarasota County School Board member and Moms for Liberty co-founder Bridget Ziegler, according to search warrant affidavits.
Another three-way was planned on the night of the alleged rape, according to the affidavits, but Bridget Ziegler couldn’t attend and Christian Ziegler showed up at the woman’s apartment anyway, which is when the alleged crime occurred.
Christian Ziegler also is being investigated for video voyeurism after recording the Oct. 2 sexual encounter, which he says was consensual.
The rape allegation has roiled the Florida GOP as it tries to gear up for the 2024 election, with Gov. Ron DeSantis and every other statewide elected official calling on Ziegler to step down as Florida GOP chair.
Ziegler has maintained his innocence and refused to step down, prompting his forced removal.
The police investigation is ongoing and Ziegler hasn’t been charged with any crimes, but Florida GOP officials say that even if he doesn’t face charges, the conduct revealed in the police affidavits raises moral issues that make him unfit to lead the party.
Bridget Ziegler also has been under pressure to resign from the Sarasota School Board. Fellow conservative board members approved a resolution calling on her to step down, but Ziegler remains in the job.
The Zieglers were a Florida GOP power couple before the sex scandal upended their political careers. They were leading advocates for DeSantis’ culture war agenda, particularly around LGBTQ issues in schools. Bridget Ziegler campaigned with DeSantis during their 2022 re-election bids and was with the governor when he signed legislation derided by critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
After years of moral crusading by the Zieglers and Florida GOP leaders, the moral questions raised by the police investigation into Christian Ziegler have prompted calls of hypocrisy that threatened to engulf the Florida GOP heading into another critical election year. That may be why Republicans moved so quickly to oust Ziegler and replace him.
The vote to remove Ziegler came five weeks after the rape investigation became public on Nov. 30. The Florida GOP also is choosing Ziegler’s replacement Monday.
The Florida GOP’s executive committee met at the Tallahassee Conference Center Monday to vote on ousting Ziegler. The vote wasn’t unanimous, according to multiple sources.
The parking lot of the Conference Center filled up with black SUVs and pickup trucks as more than 200 committee members and party activists arrived.
In attendance were Congressman Neal Dunn, Matt Gaetz and Bryon Donalds, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis and state Senate President Kathleen Passidomo.
As voters filed into the meeting hall, party Vice Chair Evan Power, who is seeking to replace Ziegler as chair, greeted them at the door and mingled with others inside. A volunteer from Republican National Committeeman Peter Feaman, who is running for chair, distributed cards declaring Feaman’s mission is to restore “Good Name and Reputation of RPOF!”
Shortly after 1:00, the assembled recited the Pledge of Alliance and then announced those without official name tags must leave the room. Sheriff Deputies closed the doors once the non-voting public, mostly party activists dressed in red, had exited the room.