Greater than a month after a intercourse scandal uncovered the rank hypocrisy of Florida GOP chairman Christian Ziegler and his spouse Bridget, Ziegler has been ousted from his place. The couple framed themselves as anti-LGBTQ+ standard-bearers for conservative Christian household values. The Every day Beast reported that Ziegler didn’t seem at Monday’s closed-door assembly in Tallahassee, the place an “overwhelming” variety of get together members voted to take away him because the state get together chair.
Authorities are investigating allegations that Ziegler sexually assaulted a lady who had been beforehand concerned in a consensual three-way relationship with Ziegler and his spouse. Christian Ziegler has maintained his innocence and refused requires him to step down.
Bridget Ziegler was the co-founder of Mothers for Liberty, the anti-LGBTQ+ conservative group that has supported faculty e-book bans. She has additionally been underneath stress from fellow conservative members of the Sarasota Faculty Board to resign however stays in her put up, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported.
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Christian Ziegler was changed with Vice Chair Evan Energy, a lobbyist and political marketing consultant, the Herald-Tribune reported. The newspaper mentioned that amongst these attending the assembly had been U.S. Reps. Matt Gaetz and Byron Donalds. The Herald-Tribune wrote:
The rape allegation has roiled the Florida GOP because it tries to gear up for the 2024 election, with Gov. Ron DeSantis and each different statewide elected official calling on Ziegler to step down as Florida GOP chair. …
The Zieglers had been a Florida GOP energy couple earlier than the intercourse scandal upended their political careers. They had been main advocates for DeSantis’ tradition struggle agenda, notably round LGBTQ points in faculties. Bridget Ziegler campaigned with DeSantis throughout their 2022 re-election bids and was with the governor when he signed laws derided by critics because the “Do not Say Homosexual” invoice.
After years of ethical crusading by the Zieglers and Florida GOP leaders, the ethical questions raised by the police investigation into Christian Ziegler have prompted calls of hypocrisy that threatened to engulf the Florida GOP heading into one other important election 12 months. Which may be why Republicans moved so shortly to oust Ziegler and substitute him.
The scandal has clearly performed some hurt to the Republican Celebration of Florida, which had been driving excessive since DeSantis received an awesome victory within the 2022 gubernatorial race. Since then, DeSantis’ status has suffered attributable to his anti-woke agenda and his passage of an excessive six-week abortion ban. His once-heralded presidential marketing campaign is now on life assist.
Florida GOP leaders expressed reduction over Ziegler’s ouster. State Rep. Spencer Roach advised the Herald-Tribune: “Now we have lastly turned the web page from disgraced and now-former Chairman Ziegler. It’s time to deal with regaining the belief of Florida voters because the get together of household values. We now start the onerous work of fundraising, voter registration, and voter turnout for a consequential election that is solely 11 months away.”
Florida Democrats, nonetheless, don’t really feel that Ziegler’s elimination has modified the material of Florida Republicans, The Washington Publish reported:
“It’s an issue with the model of who the Florida Republicans are,” Democratic state chairman Nikki Fried mentioned at a information convention forward of the start of the state legislative session starting Tuesday. “The hypocrisy of this second and the truth that they’re nonetheless pushing this agenda, they haven’t discovered their lesson. No matter who’s chair of this get together, their ethical compass is totally damaged.”
The vote to oust Ziegler got here 5 weeks after he was accused of rape on Nov. 30. Based on affidavits, one other three-way was deliberate on the night time of the alleged rape, however Bridget Ziegler couldn’t be there and Christian Ziegler turned up on the girl’s condo anyway, information retailers have reported. That’s when the alleged rape occurred, which Ziegler says was consensual intercourse.
The Herald-Tribune additionally reported that Christian Ziegler is being investigated for video voyeurism after recording the Oct. 2 sexual encounter. The police investigation is constant. To date, Ziegler has not been charged with any crimes.
At a Dec. 17 emergency assembly, the Florida GOP’s government board voted unanimously to cut back Ziegler’s six-figure wage to $1 and strip him of his powers, however he nonetheless refused to step down regardless of calls to take action from DeSantis and Gaetz, Rolling Stone reported. A gathering was then set for Jan. 8 to vote on eradicating him from his put up.
RELATED STORY: Florida Republican Celebration suspends chairman and calls for his resignation amid rape investigation
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