The Florida GOP has suspended their chairman and is calling for his immediate resignation following an investigation into allegations of rape.
The Republican Party in Florida has decided to temporarily remove their chairman due to an ongoing investigation regarding rape allegations.
2016 murder of a local Republican Party official
The Florida branch of the Republican Party held an urgent meeting on Sunday and voted to suspend Chairman Christian Ziegler, with Governor Ron DeSantis and other high-ranking officials also urging him to resign in light of ongoing investigations into a 2016 murder of a party member.rape accusation against him.
According to police documents, Ziegler is being charged with sexually assaulting a woman whom he and his wife, Bridget Ziegler, co-founded Moms for Liberty with. The relationship between Ziegler and the woman was consensual in the past.
According to a document posted on the social media platform X by Lee County GOP Chairman Michael Thomason, the party’s motion to censure Ziegler stated that his behavior makes him unsuitable for the position.
During a private meeting, Ziegler attempted to justify his actions, but the party board promptly took disciplinary action against him, according to Thompson.
Thompson shared, “Ziegler is attempting to defend himself on a soapbox, but it’s not effective.” This was said before the votes were confirmed.
The executive committee of the party will vote again in the future to decide whether or not to remove Ziegler.
The Sarasota Police Department is currently looking into a woman’s claim that Ziegler sexually assaulted her at her residence in October. According to police records, the Zieglers and the woman had previously arranged for a consensual threesome, but Bridget Ziegler was unable to attend. The woman alleges that Christian Ziegler showed up anyway and attacked her.
Christian Ziegler has not faced any charges and maintains his innocence, arguing that the interaction was consensual.
The allegation has also caused chaos for Bridget Ziegler, a elected official on the Sarasota School Board, even though she has not been charged with any wrongdoing. On Tuesday, the board decided to request her resignation, but she declined.
The pair has publicly expressed their opposition to LGBTQ+ rights, and their romantic involvement with another woman has faced backlash and claims of being hypocritical.
Along with DeSantis, GOP Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, Congressman Matt Gaetz, and Florida’s Republican leaders in the House and Senate have all demanded that Christian Ziegler step down from his position.
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Source: cbsnews.com