Florida GOP chair accused of rape by woman he and wife were reportedly having affair with
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The chair of the Florida Republican Party has been accused of raping a woman who he and his wife, the co-founder of “parent’s rights” group Moms for Liberty , were reportedly in a long-term consensual relationship with.
Christian Ziegler is under investigation for alleged sexual battery, according to a heavily-redacted report provided to The Independent by the Sarasota Police Department.
The complaint does not name Mr Ziegler, but his attorney Derek Byrd confirmed to The Independent that the high-ranking Republican official and ally of Governor Ron DeSantis was cooperating with the police investigation and expected to be fully exonerated.
The female complainant had been in a long-term consensual relationship with Mr Ziegler and his wife Bridget, according to the investigative journalism site the Florida Center for Government Accountability, which was first to report on the story.
Citing police sources, the site stated that the incident occurred when Mr Ziegler and the complainant were at the woman’s home on 2 October without Ms Ziegler present.
The words “rape” and “had been sexual battered…on 10/02/2023” were among the few words visible on the redacted police report.
Mr Ziegler’s cellphone was seized after police obtained a search warrant, which he reportedly used to film sexual liaisons between the trio.
The couple are power players in Florida politics, and have both touted their commitment to “family values” while running for public office. Mr Ziegler is a long-term GOP official and former Sarasota County Commissioner who was elected chair of the state party in February.
Bridget Ziegler is a former school board official who co-founded the “parent’s rights” group Moms For Liberty in 2021.
The right-wing activists initially focused on anti-Covid lockdown measures but have since expanded nationwide on a platform of trying to combat “gender ideology” and “critical race theory” in schools.
Moms for Liberty was at the forefront of efforts to pass Florida’s “don’t say gay bill”, and was named an “anti-government extremist” organisation by the Southern Poverty Law Center in June.
Ms Ziegler received Mr DeSantis’ personal endorsement for her Sarasota school board seat earlier this year. She was also appointed by the governor to the newly-formed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, after he rescinded Disney’s special district status after a political fight with the Magic Kingdom.
Ms Ziegler did not respond to multiple text and email requests for comment by The Independent.
In a statement, Florida Democratic Party chair Nikki Fried called on Mr Ziegler to resign immediately “given the “severity of the criminal allegations”.
“As leaders in the Florida GOP and Moms for Liberty, the Zieglers have made a habit out of attacking anything they perceive as going against ‘family values’ — be it reproductive rights or the existence of LGBTQ+ Floridians. The level of hypocrisy in this situation is stunning.”
She applauded the accuser’s bravery in coming forward against a “political figure as powerful as Christian Ziegler”.
“Allegations of rape and sexual battery are severe and should be taken seriously,” said Ms Fried said.
Mr Byrd, the attorney representing Mr Ziegler, told The Independent he was confident that no charges would be filed against his client.
“Unfortunately, public figures are often accused of acts that they did not commit whether it be for political purposes
or financial gain. I would caution anyone to rush to judgment until the investigation is concluded.”
LINK TO ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
The chair of the Florida Republican Party has been accused of raping a woman who he and his wife, the co-founder of “parent’s rights” group Moms for Liberty , were reportedly in a long-term consensual relationship with.
Christian Ziegler is under investigation for alleged sexual battery, according to a heavily-redacted report provided to The Independent by the Sarasota Police Department.
The complaint does not name Mr Ziegler, but his attorney Derek Byrd confirmed to The Independent that the high-ranking Republican official and ally of Governor Ron DeSantis was cooperating with the police investigation and expected to be fully exonerated.
The female complainant had been in a long-term consensual relationship with Mr Ziegler and his wife Bridget, according to the investigative journalism site the Florida Center for Government Accountability, which was first to report on the story.
Citing police sources, the site stated that the incident occurred when Mr Ziegler and the complainant were at the woman’s home on 2 October without Ms Ziegler present.
The words “rape” and “had been sexual battered…on 10/02/2023” were among the few words visible on the redacted police report.
Mr Ziegler’s cellphone was seized after police obtained a search warrant, which he reportedly used to film sexual liaisons between the trio.
The couple are power players in Florida politics, and have both touted their commitment to “family values” while running for public office. Mr Ziegler is a long-term GOP official and former Sarasota County Commissioner who was elected chair of the state party in February.
Bridget Ziegler is a former school board official who co-founded the “parent’s rights” group Moms For Liberty in 2021.
The right-wing activists initially focused on anti-Covid lockdown measures but have since expanded nationwide on a platform of trying to combat “gender ideology” and “critical race theory” in schools.
Moms for Liberty was at the forefront of efforts to pass Florida’s “don’t say gay bill”, and was named an “anti-government extremist” organisation by the Southern Poverty Law Center in June.
Ms Ziegler received Mr DeSantis’ personal endorsement for her Sarasota school board seat earlier this year. She was also appointed by the governor to the newly-formed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, after he rescinded Disney’s special district status after a political fight with the Magic Kingdom.
Ms Ziegler did not respond to multiple text and email requests for comment by The Independent.
In a statement, Florida Democratic Party chair Nikki Fried called on Mr Ziegler to resign immediately “given the “severity of the criminal allegations”.
“As leaders in the Florida GOP and Moms for Liberty, the Zieglers have made a habit out of attacking anything they perceive as going against ‘family values’ — be it reproductive rights or the existence of LGBTQ+ Floridians. The level of hypocrisy in this situation is stunning.”
She applauded the accuser’s bravery in coming forward against a “political figure as powerful as Christian Ziegler”.
“Allegations of rape and sexual battery are severe and should be taken seriously,” said Ms Fried said.
Mr Byrd, the attorney representing Mr Ziegler, told The Independent he was confident that no charges would be filed against his client.
“Unfortunately, public figures are often accused of acts that they did not commit whether it be for political purposes or financial gain. I would caution anyone to rush to judgment until the investigation is concluded.”
LINK TO ORIGINAL ARTICLE: https://au.news.yahoo.com/florida-gop-chair-accused-rape-231437810.html#:~:text=The%20female%20complainant%20had%20been,to%20report%20on%20the%20story.
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You can't make this up..
"Moms'' has had a bad month, first the huge losses in the election than a member is discovered to be a registered sex offender, and now this. "Mom'' co-founder in a threesome with battery involved.
Wow, she is a great example to tell anyone how to raise their kids.
I have met several hypocrites just like her and the other two. These 3 are posters people for the right wing populist social justice warriors. This news along with another lawsuit in IA by book publishers & authors is just making my week.
Lots of folks here still send their kids to Liberty University, even though they've barely washed the stink of Jerry Falwell, Jr., from their "hallowed" halls.
The stink of Jerry Falwell, Jr will NEVER be washed away. His father was no saint either.
The only interest I have in Liberty University is their football team, they finished the regular season with an unblemished 12-0 record.
Isn't that where Jason Witten is coaching?
What league do homeschool football teams compete in...
No, Witten coachs at Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas. We're talking about Jerry Falwell's Liberty University of Lynchburg, Virginia. Geesh!
ok no big deal to me. sorry to have upset you so.
Liberty University is located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Geesh!
LMAO. THANKS!
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Wasn't it he and his wife who were having a thing with their pool boy? Just like dev said, these freaks are the norm and not the exception when it comes to the alleged 'family values' folks.
I don't give a damn about people's sex lives and who and what they do it with, it's just when it comes to these 'family values' folks.
And they say it's the Democrats/Liberals/Progressives who are always 'shoving (fill in the blanks) down other's throats'
That's them. I don't care what they get up to in their own bedrooms, but I do care when they tell everybody else what they can't get up to in theirs, especially when it's probably not as freaky as the Falwells' habits.
I didn't realize this until after that scandal, but it seems that Jerry, Jr., shall we say "appropriated" an athletic facility owned by the university and gave it to his personal trainer.
.
So, Jerry's personal trainer now owns the facilities, and the university pays him to rent facilities he was given...by the university. I'd be pissed if I knew that's where my tuition money was going.
How does the school compare to others in cost and value?
Any degree you might get from there I believe would be worthless.
Liberty finished their season 13-0 with a 49-35 victory over New Mexico ST wining their conference championship. Pretty good for a bunch of Wimby Christian kids.
Degree?
Worthless? They'd be more than welcome as cashiers at Chick-fil-A, Hobby Lobby, In-N-Out, Forever 21, etc...
Honest work should always be looked down upon, if you don't like a company because they don't support one of your pet causes.
Isn't that the point of a University?
So they, unlike many leftists, will have jobs.
Liberals are consistently better educated and earn higher wages than conservatives.
Red states are consistently poorer than blue states.
Many higher-tier colleges and universities won't accept transfers from evangelical schools because these students simply don't have the basic knowledge and skills to build upon.
cost of living is lower generally in red states.
I doubt you have any stats to back your fantastical claim up.
Southern states were poor since the civil war when they were blue, recently their situation began to change as did their politics.
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I live in a Blue, wealthy county and there is always a long line at Chick-fil-A. The workers look more like high schoolers here, not college grads.
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I researched Pew. Lots of charts.
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Cite them here.
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heh, now she has to fend off every maga rwnj and bible thumper with an ED prescription. news like this is becoming the rule and not the exception with these family values perverts.
oh boy, movie night. let's hope there's some capitalists in the PD with access to the evidence room...
your last paragraph - ain't that the fucking truth?
they're always the ones with the dead hookers in the closet or the little girls or boys they've molested
sick fucks
Seems the sick fucks are the dems that won't protect children.
Protect act of 2022
Dead hookers in the closet?
the bible thumping maga hypocrites in this story seem to dispute your allegation.
No they don't. And my allegation is fact
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How does a consensual threesome conflict with your family values?
Lame deflection attempt
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Depends whose bedroom
Perhaps it's just a confusion of fantasy movies vs. reality. From the movie "Wait until Dark" --
How come it's always the [republi(deleted)] getting caught with their pants down?
Anthony Weiner
The only thing worse for a gopper's reputation than waking up with a dead teen girl in their bed is waking up with a live teenage boy..
Both those situations would make a dem proud and other dems jealous
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Aren't you forgetting all of Bubba Bill Clinton's sexcapades?
Or all those flights on the "Lolita Express" with Jeffry?
Your absolutely right, 2 republicans without any evidence that they raped small children total justified all Clinton’s rapes and Biden’s molesting his daughter and groping young girls for years.
Not true + it's your usual PD&D
Don’t you have a copy of the Bill Clinton and Epstein photo?
Perhaps you've never read about the transgressions, misdeeds, and immoralities of Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, James Biden, Al Gore, AOC, Elizabeth Warren, Nancy Pelosi, Barack Obama, Eric Swalwell, Adam Schiff, George Soros, Jamaal Bowman, and their pals. And that doesn't even include the Democrats' corrupt media sycophants.
My comment in no way exonerates Republicans who break our laws, but it does point out to you that Democrats are not virginal and pristine.
Enjoy the weekend!
Guess you forgot the part where trump said he was sexually attracted to his own daughter. Oops.
Oops! Saying it isn’t the same as actually doing it.
Nobody has forgotten that left wing lie.
He did do it...prove me wrong.
please link that quote.
Prove it.
Nighty-night!
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Some people claim that you can prove something doesn't exist...like God.... LOL
I believe that he did, probably when she was pre-pubescent
So... They've spent their lives slandering and bullying the LGBTQ community and lo they are part of the LGBTQ community. What would Gomer Pyle have to say about that?
Whatever the script writers wrote.
"Sur-prise, sur-prise, sur-prise!"
Sounds like a Ross Geller situation.
Never saw any worth to that show other than Lisa Kudrow.
I watched random episodes here and there when I was with my friends (lol) but it was never really a show that I got into.
Did like the fact that Jen's nipples were always hard.
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Ross really is a piece of shit when you think about it.
I wonder if the ''MOM'' is removing or replacing books or introducing new books on ménage à trois or even if they are age specific.
Or are they wearing new t-shirts saying, "You have to be this tall to ride" ?
lol
at least she has a trade she can fall back on. she might have to switch churches though....
LOL. Good one. Even though throughout my life I have spent a lot of time in Florida and even for a time owned in partnership with my brother a golf condo there, it's stories like these that when I look at a map of America I start to think Florida appears to be the penis of America.
LMAO, true and I could add to that, but I'm going to pass...LOL
think you spelled piss wrong, but hey , when in America’s penis, you’re either piss, or a sailor, or possibly a pist off sailor looking for a three some, but , you can never
for some.
Unless, you wish to force them to abide by ones own hypocritical thinking, as the ones attempting to be the ethical and moral police, apparently can’t Bi-, watt they’re herd trying too preach, all while obviously, around reaching, asz teaching to pet thy neighbor, whilst stabbing them with an ill enlightened light saber, rattlin cages to unleash the serpents from their shed fore skin, cause it’s the key for the win, to the hippocrazy, they plainly spit while expecting US All 2 swallow what they deem to be wrong, Bi-grabbing that pussy, they just let ya, i hear, while fondling your schlong while drinking a Beer !
That would make the Keys........
They were really just reenacting the rape scenes from The Handmaid's Tale. Of course, they would occasionally invite Ronnie D. over for midget night.
Why am I not surprised?
Florida has become a circus as of late, it's quite entertaining.
It keeps getting "curiouser and curiouser". Well, at least its sunsets can't be beat.
Sort of like watching a train wreck is entertaining.
Exactly, who doesn't find a train wreck entertaining.
Florida's East Coast sunrises and sunsets are beautiful. I'm not very happy about their alligators, though!
From the time I was 16 I'd spent a lot of time in Florida - east and west coasts and Disney World 3 times but I never saw an alligator or crocodile. Now I'd be concerned about pythons as well, but I wouldn't want to live there as long as DeSantis was governor. I can't respect a man who tries to beat up a little mouse. LOL
The reef diving and Key West were once nice too.
But the reefs and Jimmy Buffett are now dead so....
In a way it's another blow against DeSantis. Both Zieglers were big supporters of his and he endorsed her for the Saratoga School Board and appointed her to the board at Reedy Creek.
He know how to pick um.
This is after his appointee for one of the state's financial support teams was arrested and indicted.
In the past week, Koch Bros backed Haley, and both the president and another executive of his Pac, Never Back Down...resigned.
And they are all devout Christians that preach to us about morals and censure the kids books.
Praise the Lord and pass the hat.
To these scumbags, god is green and he folds
when thumpers cross the wall of separation between church and state, they become domestic terrorists and their lives should be forfeit.
When has ever happened?
Mike Johnson is one prime example. He was involved in the attempted and failed coup/insurrection and from what I just read somewhere, wrote a book promoting at least one whackjob conspiracy theory (and I'm sure many others) which was Pizzagate.
He's a freakshow whackjob and is the ultimate definition of wanting to smash the wall of separation between church and state and is indeed a domestic terrorist, just like dev said.
Some folks imagine it is constantly happening, while others HOPE it is as an excuse to kill someone who thinks differently from them.
If you read enough comments here, you might think the churches run America!
It is insane!
At least their political careers.
If you just read it, cite it.
The article has been up for a couple of days and I not going to moderate it any long. I'll be closing it down now.
Thanks to everyone for participating.