Chairman of the Florida Republican Celebration Christian Ziegler is beneath prison investigation after a girl claiming to be a part of a three-way relationship with Zeigler’s spouse alleged he raped her.
Ziegler’s spouse is Bridget Ziegler, a co-founder of Mothers for Liberty, a right-wing parental rights group and Sarasota County Faculty board member. Collectively, the couple holds highly effective affect in Florida GOP politics.
A closely redacted police grievance, which was obtained by the Florida Trident, was submitted on October 4 and alleged the rape occurred in her Sarasota dwelling. The phrases ‘rape’ and ‘sexual battery’ remained unredacted, in response to the Trident.
Based on the outlet, the girl alleged she and each Zieglers had been concerned in a longstanding, consensual, three-way sexual relationship previous to the incident.
The alleged assault occurred when Bridget was away from the house, in response to the report.
No prison expenses have been filed within the case and Christian Ziegler’s lawyer denied the allegations saying the chairman can be ‘utterly exonerated.’
Chairman of the Florida Republican Celebration Christian Ziegler (left) is accused of rape by a girl who says she was in a three-way relationship with Ziegler and his spouse Bridget Ziegler (proper)
Bridget Ziegler is a co-founder of Mothers for Liberty, a right-wing parental rights group, and Sarasota County Faculty board member
Collectively, the couple holds highly effective affect in Florida GOP politics
The alleged incident, now beneath investigation by Sarasota police, say occurred when Christian and the unnamed accuser had been alone in her dwelling on October 2, in response to the Trident.
Sources cited by the Trident additionally stated a search warrant had been executed on Christian’s cellular phone and that authorities are within the means of conducting a forensic examination of the system.
The GOP heavyweight can be alleged to have secretly videotaped the sexual encounters between the couple and the girl.
Christian Ziegler was elected chairman of the Sunshine State’s GOP in February. He previously served as vice chairman of the state get together. Earlier than that he was a Sarasota County Commissioner.
Bridget Ziegler is taken into account a rising star within the conservative motion. She beforehand acquired the non-public endorsement of Florida Governor and 2024 presidential candidate Ron DeSantis for her faculty board seat.
She has turn into well-known in her personal state and throughout the nation because the cofounder of Mother for Liberty, a gaggle based within the wake of COVID-19 faculty insurance policies that folks throughout the nation felt had been unnecessarily impeding their kids’s growth.
She helped set up the framework for what would turn into DeSantis’ Parental Rights in Training Invoice, which grew to become identified within the media because the ‘Do not Say Homosexual’ regulation.
The alleged incident, now beneath investigation by Sarasota police, say occurred when Christian and the unnamed accuser had been alone in her dwelling on October 2. Pictured: Christian and Bridget Ziegler with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (center)
Bridget Ziegler is taken into account a rising star within the conservative motion. She beforehand acquired the non-public endorsement of Florida Governor and 2024 presidential candidate Ron DeSantis for her faculty board seat. Pictured: Bridget with Casey DeSantis
No prison expenses have been filed within the case and Christian Ziegler’s lawyer denied the allegations saying the chairman can be ‘utterly exonerated’
Based on the Trident, DeSantis has publicly praised Bridget Ziegler in addresses about schooling.
‘Bridget Ziegler, we should always have her in each county in Florida. We now have to do a greater job in these faculty board races,’ DeSantis has stated.
At current, Bridget additionally works for the Management Institute, a conservative group that runs workshops and develops curriculums to coach the subsequent technology of conservative leaders.
She oversees a program that ‘trains mother and dads tips on how to run for college board, win, after which govern!’
In an announcement posted to X, Mothers for Liberty defended Bridget: ‘One more try at the moment to break the popularity of a robust lady combating for America.’
Bridget Zeigler has not responded to a request for remark from Dailymail.com.
The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported that Ziegler’s lawyer, Derek Byrd, stated he’s assured his consumer ‘shall be utterly exonerated,’ including that he has been ‘totally cooperative with each request made by the Sarasota Police Division.’
‘Sadly, public figures are sometimes accused of acts that they didn’t commit whether or not or not it’s for political functions or monetary achieve,’ he stated.
‘I might warning anybody to hurry to judgment till the investigation is concluded. Out of respect for the investigation, that is all Mr. Ziegler or myself can say at the moment.’
The GOP of Sarasota County, the place the couple and their younger household are based mostly, issued an announcement declaring their ‘shock’ and ‘disappointment’ within the experiences.
‘The Republican Celebration takes all such allegations of potential prison conduct very severely and can totally cooperate with investigators,’ learn the assertion.
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