Florida Republican Party Strips Chairman of Authority Amidst Rape Allegation Controversy
Florida's Republican Party have declared its chairman, Christian Ziegler, "unfit for office" and have stripped him of his authority while reducing his salary from $120,000 to $1.
The decision follows rape allegation made against Ziegler in late November, which prompted a criminal investigation by the Sarasota police.
Despite the serious allegations and mounting calls for his resignation, Ziegler has refused to step down, asserting that the encounter in question was consensual. The party executive committee, however, unanimously passed motions at an emergency meeting in Orlando to censure Ziegler, citing his conduct as “rendering him unfit” for office.
Republican Party of Florida Chair Christian Ziegler addresses the Republican Party of Florida Freedom Summit, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, in Kissimmee, Fla. | Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP
The party members have scheduled a meeting in Tallahassee on January 8, just one day before the Florida legislature begins its regular session. During this meeting, they will vote on whether to remove Ziegler from his position as chairman of the Florida Republican Party.
The unnamed accuser, reported to the police that the alleged rape took place in October. She claimed to have previously engaged in a consensual three-way encounter with Ziegler and his wife, Bridget, and had plans to meet again. However, she canceled when Ziegler informed her that his wife wouldn't be able to attend. Despite the cancellation, Ziegler unexpectedly arrived alone at her apartment and assaulted her, according to her statement to the police.
Ziegler's mention of having donors who promised to contribute to the party if he weathered this crisis has further fueled the outrage among party members.
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Michael Thompson, chairman of the Lee County Republican Executive Committee, expressed his disappointment on social media, stating that Ziegler's comments were perceived as a disrespectful plea to remain in power.
Governor Ron DeSantis was among the first prominent Republicans in the state to call for Ziegler's immediate resignation after the Florida Center for Government Accountability publicly released the police report detailing the rape allegation.