TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Embattled Florida GOP Chair Christian Ziegler is denying claims he’s seeking a buyout for his resignation as head of the state party. Ziegler told Scripps News in a brief text Friday— “It’s a lie."
It comes after high-ranking members of the RPOF, Thursday, confirmed reports that Ziegler was seeking a fee, saying the number was around $2 million to quietly step down.
The chair finds himself under intense pressure due to allegations of rape and sexual battery. They stem from an October incident in Sarasota. The investigation is ongoing, but charges haven’t been filed. Ziegler has denied wrongdoing.
Meanwhile, more Republicans have started calling for his resignation. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) was the latest posting Friday: “If he refuses to unconditionally step down, he should be immediately suspended & then permanently replaced at the quarterly state party meeting next month.”
An ouster could happen as soon as Sunday. The party’s executive board is meeting behind closed doors in Orlando at 1:00 p.m. Members plan to discuss sanctions or a no-confidence vote. Speaking on background, some Republicans told us Ziegler’s removal was all but guaranteed.
Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis said Friday he still supports a removal. He and the rest of the GOP Florida Cabinet— including the governor— said Ziegler had become a drag on the party’s 2024 goals.
“Well, we've got to run races in Florida, and nationally," Patronis said. "This is a massive distraction... We've got a White House to win. We've got congressional races to win. We've got a United States Senator to get reelected, Sen. Rick Scott. So to do that we need no distractions, zero tolerance.”
Party officials said they plan to release a statement on Sunday following the conclusion of the meeting. If Ziegler is removed — an interim chair will be appointed and a vote for a replacement is required within 30 days.
