TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) stripped the state's GOP Chair Christian Ziegler of his powers Sunday as he continues to be under a criminal investigation amid allegations of rape and sexual assault.
The RPOF's executive board moved quickly during a closed-door meeting in Orlando, voting to censure and formally call for Christian's resignation. His salary has also been reduced to $1.
"Christian Ziegler has engaged in conduct that renders him unfit for the office," the party's motion to censure Ziegler said, according to a document posted on the social media platform X by Lee County GOP Chairman Michael Thomason.
Ziegler tried to defend himself during the closed-door meeting, but the party board quickly took the action against him, Thompson said.
"Ziegler on soap box trying to defend himself, not working," Thompson posted before confirming the votes.
Despite the vote from the RPOF, Christian is still technically the Chair due to the removal process requiring multiple steps and waiting periods.
“Today, the executive board did the right thing in taking the vote to strip Christian Ziegler of his authority and to censure him," said Sen. Blaise Ingoglia (R-Spring Hill). "Unfortunately, after a near-unanimous vote he still selfishly refused to resign further proving he is only in this for the power and the prestige, not for future of the Republican Party of Florida. We don’t need distractions. We need to win Florida for our Republican nominee.”
The full RPOF executive committee will meet on Jan. 8 to formally remove Christian if he doesn’t step down before that date.
Party officials said Vice Chairman Evan Power and Treasurer Mike Moberly will serve in Christian's place until the vote on Jan. 8.
A woman accused Christian of rape and sexual assault after an incident at her apartment in October, according to a copy of the report of the criminal allegations from the Sarasota Police Department.
Gov. Ron DeSantis, along with Republican Sens. Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz and Florida’s Republican House and Senate leaders, have all called for Christian's resignation.
No charges have been filed against Christian, and he has maintained his innocence since the allegations broke.
Christian's wife, Sarasota County school board member and Moms for Liberty co-founder Bridget Ziegler, admitted she and her husband had a previous consensual three-way sexual encounter with the accuser.
Bridget was voted by the school board to resign from her position on Dec. 12.
In a 4-1 vote, Bridget was the sole member to vote against the resolution. It is up to her to decide if she will step down or not.
Bridget was first appointed to Sarasota’s school board in 2014 by then-Governor Rick Scott. She is credited for helping to lay the groundwork for what critics would later dub Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law.
The couple have been outspoken opponents of LGBTQ+ rights, and their relationship with another woman has sparked criticism and accusations of hypocrisy.
