Florida GOP lawmakers are pushing to remove the state's Republican Party chair, Christian Ziegler, over sexual assault allegations.
On Sunday, the Florida GOP started the process of removing Ziegler with the party's executive board voting during an emergency meeting to censure the Republican, strip his authority, and reduce his salary to $1.
Vote To Remove Christian Ziegler
![[UPDATE] Christian Ziegler Sexual Assault Allegation: Florida GOP Push To Remove Chair of State Republican Party](https://d.hngn.com/en/full/284814/update-christian-ziegler-sexual-assault-allegation-florida-gop-push-remove-chair-state.jpg?w=830&f=dcf07043f3f992a97ffb087bfe63bd3e)
Furthermore, the board voted to hold a meeting of the party's full governing body on Jan. 8, in Tallahassee, when a vote is expected to remove Ziegler. In a statement, Florida GOP Vice Chair Evan Power said that they had asked the chair to resign immediately but he did not comply.
The development comes as a Sarasota police investigation into a woman's claim that Ziegler raped her on Oct. 2 has shaken up the state's Republican Party. It complicated efforts to gear up for the 2024 election and the votes on Sunday showed party activists are eager to move past the chair's controversy.
However, Ziegler would most likely not go quietly as the 40-year-old has resisted calls from leading Florida Republicans to step down. He was also in attendance on Sunday during the vote to defend himself against the allegations, as per the Herald Tribune.
The Florida Republican Party chair apologized to executive board members for the scrutiny that the party is receiving over the allegations against him. Lee County GOP Chair Michael Thompson noted that Ziegler showed a "pompous attitude" and was on a "soapbox" as he proclaimed his innocence in the case.
Thompson added that Ziegler came in trying to defend himself and his actions on why he should be allowed to maintain his position as the state chair. During his remarks, Ziegler did not invoke former United States President Donald Trump who has also been accused of sexual assault.
Power added that the state's Republican Party stands for transparency and accountability, adding that they have taken appropriate action to bring accountability to one of their members. He said that the developments marked a difficult moment for many of them but argued that the charges against Ziegler were serious in nature.
Sexual Assault Allegations
The allegations against Ziegler involve his wife, Bridget, where they planned a three-way sexual encounter with the alleged victim. Officials believe that when the victim learned that Bridget could not make it, she changed her mind and canceled with Ziegler. The husband and wife supposedly had a previous consensual sexual relationship with the accuser, according to CNN.
Prior to the meeting, some party members tried to broker a deal for Ziegler to resign and said that he could be persuaded to leave with a buyout of up to $2 million. However, that idea did not appear to have received much support from lawmakers.
Ziegler's lawyer, Derek Byrd, said that they are confident that after the police investigation into the case has concluded, there will be no charges filed against the state chair. He added that the Republican would be completely exonerated.
The state chair is a political consultant and former Sarasota County commissioner and was elected to lead the Florida Republican Party in February. He has been viewed as the candidate who is aligned with Trump rather than DeSantis, said the New York Times.
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