Florida Republicans censured and stripped most of the duties and salary of Christian Ziegler, the embattled chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, amidst a criminal investigation into an accusation of sexual assault. The party's executive committee deemed him unfit, signaling his potential removal from office. Ziegler has resisted calls to resign and faces further action if he does not do so by Jan. 8.
Florida Republicans Strip Powers of Embattled Party Chairman The Republican Party of Florida took drastic action against Christian Ziegler, the embattled party chairman, who is facing a criminal investigation and has resisted calls to resign. In an emergency meeting, the party’s executive committee censured and stripped Ziegler of his duties and salary, effectively ousting him from the top post. Ziegler, 40, has been under criminal investigation since October, when a woman accused him of sexual assault. Despite sustained pressure to resign, Ziegler has refused to step down. The party will hold an emergency meeting on Jan. 8 to remove Ziegler if he has not resigned by then and to elect a new chairman. Some party members had tried to broker a deal for Ziegler’s departure with a buyout of up to $2 million, but the notion did not receive much support. Ziegler’s lawyer has stated that they are confident that once the police investigation is concluded, no charges will be filed, and Ziegler will be completely exonerated. Bridget Ziegler, Christian Ziegler’s wife, who is a Sarasota County School Board member and co-founder of the right-wing activist group Moms for Liberty, has also faced calls for her resignation. Critics have seized on her involvement in a previous sexual encounter with the woman who accused her husband as an example of hypocrisy. The Zieglers’ political stars had been rising in Florida before the scandal, especially in Sarasota, a hotbed of right-wing activism in the state. Christian Ziegler was elected to lead the state Republican Party in February and was seen as the candidate aligned with former President Donald J. Trump, rather than Governor Ron DeSantis.
Florida Republicans Strip Powers of Embattled Party Chairman The Republican Party of Florida took drastic action against Christian Ziegler, the embattled party chairman, who is facing a criminal investigation and has resisted calls to resign. In an emergency meeting, the party’s executive committee censured and stripped Ziegler of his duties and salary, effectively ousting him from the top post. Ziegler, 40, has been under criminal investigation since October, when a woman accused him of sexual assault. Despite sustained pressure to resign, Ziegler has refused to step down. The party will hold an emergency meeting on Jan. 8 to remove Ziegler if he has not resigned by then and to elect a new chairman. Some party members had tried to broker a deal for Ziegler’s departure with a buyout of up to $2 million, but the notion did not receive much support. Ziegler’s lawyer has stated that they are confident that once the police investigation is concluded, no charges will be filed, and Ziegler will be completely exonerated. Bridget Ziegler, Christian Ziegler’s wife, who is a Sarasota County School Board member and co-founder of the right-wing activist group Moms for Liberty, has also faced calls for her resignation. Critics have seized on her involvement in a previous sexual encounter with the woman who accused her husband as an example of hypocrisy. The Zieglers’ political stars had been rising in Florida before the scandal, especially in Sarasota, a hotbed of right-wing activism in the state. Christian Ziegler was elected to lead the state Republican Party in February and was seen as the candidate aligned with former President Donald J. Trump, rather than Governor Ron DeSantis.