FL GOP, Democrats Call For Ziegler To Resign After Rape Allegation

SARASOTA, FL — After refusing to resign as Florida GOP chairman amidst rape allegations against him, state politicians on both sides of the aisle are calling for Christian Ziegler to step down.

The victim, a woman, claimed she had been involved in an ongoing three-way sexual relationship with both Christian and his wife, Bridget Ziegler, a Sarasota County school board member and Moms for Liberty co-founder, when she was raped at her home in October by the state Republican party leader.

His wife confirmed the three had a previous sexual encounter.

Christian Ziegler has been adamant about his innocence in the sexual battery investigation and said he won’t resign. In a statement sent to Florida Republicans Saturday, he said that he and his wife are being targeted because they are “such loud political voices.”

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No charges have been filed against him, though he’s under investigation. And both Republicans and Democrats are urging him to step down from his leadership role.

“Allegations of rape and sexual battery are severe and should be taken seriously,” Nikki Fried, Florida Democratic Party chair, said in a statement. “Christian Ziegler can’t possibly continue to lead the Florida GOP under these conditions. Given the severity of the criminal allegations, I’m calling for his immediate resignation.”

She added, “As for the more salacious allegations — what happens behind closed doors is Christian and Bridget’s personal business. That being said, I do find it interesting that two people who are so obsessed with banning books about gay penguins might be engaged in a non-traditional sexual relationship. As leaders in the Florida GOP and Moms for Liberty, the Zieglers have made a habit out of attacking anything they perceive as going against ‘family values’ — be it reproductive rights or the existence of LGBTQ+ Floridians. The level of hypocrisy in this situation is stunning.”

The local GOP chapter, the Republican Party of Sarasota County, is also calling for Christian Ziegler’s resignation, according to Florida Politics.

“Given the increasing amount of evidence coming out on the allegations against Christian Ziegler, the Republican Party of Sarasota County believes that what is best for Sarasota County and Florida in this critical election cycle is for Christian to step down as Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, State Committeeman of the Republican Party of Sarasota County and a member of our Executive Committee,” Jack Brill, said in a statement.

He added, “We want to see Christian given full due process of law in a timely fashion, but the moral failings outside of the criminal allegations require us to remind all of our community leaders that they are held to a higher standard.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis has said the party chairman should resign while he’s under investigation.

“He’s innocent 'til proven guilty, but we just can’t have a party chair that is under that type of scrutiny,” DeSantis said. “The mission is more important.”

Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott also said Ziegler should step down, PBS reported.

“The allegations are very disturbing,” Scott said in a statement released by his reelection campaign. “I don’t see how Christian can continue to successfully act as chairman while this cloud hovers over him.”

On Monday, the Republican Party of Florida called for a special meeting to consider Christian Ziegler’s future in a leadership position for the party. The meeting will take place Dec. 17 at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando.

In an email, the GOP vice chair, Evan Power, told the Miami Herald that he has a “heavy heart” and initially asked Ziegler to call an executive board meeting to discuss the matter. Ziegler declined, though, saying that it could wait until February.

“It is the opinion of the many members that is not an acceptable timetable,” Power wrote.
Sarasota County school board member Tom Edwards has also called for Bridget Ziegler to step down from the board during the investigation.

"She is nothing but a distraction from before and only getting worse, and it will never go away as long as she sits there," he told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. "As a school board member, my focus is on our students, their academic achievement and educational outcomes. It is not on the Zieglers' escapades."

Moms for Liberty also released a statement about the allegations against the Zieglers.

"We have been truly shaken to read of the serious, criminal allegations against Christian Ziegler. We believe any allegation of sexual assault should be taken seriously and fully investigated,” Tiffany Justice and Tina Descovich, who co-founded the organization with Bridget Ziegler, said in a statement. "Bridget Ziegler resigned from her role as co-founder with Moms for Liberty within a month of our launch in January of 2021, nearly three years ago. She has remained an avid warrior for parental rights across the country.”