Christian Ziegler is the former chairman of the Republican Party of Florida who was accused of sexual assault in October 2023, cleared by Sarasota police and state prosecutors of both rape and video voyeurism, and voted out of the state party chairmanship in January 2024. He and his wife, Moms for Liberty co-founder Bridget Ziegler, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in October 2025 against the City of Sarasota and two detectives over how the investigation was handled.
The Allegation and What Police Found
On October 4, 2023, a woman filed a complaint with the Sarasota Police Department alleging that Ziegler had raped her at her apartment two days earlier. She and the Zieglers had known each other for more than 20 years, and both Christian and Bridget Ziegler acknowledged to police that the three of them had previously engaged in a consensual sexual encounter together.1Politico. Rape Accusation Against Florida Republican Party Chair Ziegler
According to the woman’s account, she agreed to meet Ziegler on October 2 because she believed Bridget would be present. When she learned Bridget would not attend, she canceled. Ziegler went to her apartment anyway, where, she alleged, he had sex with her while she was intoxicated and unable to consent.2NPR. Ousted Florida Republican Faces Video Voyeurism Charge She received a rape kit at Sarasota Memorial Hospital two days later.1Politico. Rape Accusation Against Florida Republican Party Chair Ziegler Ziegler told police the encounter was consensual and admitted he had recorded it on his cellphone, then deleted the video.
Detectives recovered the deleted video, which Ziegler had uploaded to Google.3KUOW. Ousted Florida Republican Cleared of Rape Allegation but Faces Video Voyeurism Charge They also found a list of women’s names on Ziegler’s phone stored under a vulgar heading, along with text messages between Christian and Bridget Ziegler discussing the accuser.4WUSF. New Police Report Details Christian Ziegler Rape Investigation The woman told police Ziegler had been sexually battering her for years and had once entered her home through an unlocked window, a claim police said was supported by a 2021 text in which Ziegler wrote, “I can come thru window.”5WFLA. Christian Ziegler’s Search History Revealed in New Documents From Rape Investigation A restaurant manager confirmed the woman appeared visibly impaired on the day of the incident.
After his first interview with detectives, Ziegler’s Google search history showed queries about how sex crimes are investigated and prosecuted in Florida, average settlements in sexual assault cases, how to sue for false allegations, and how to buy Faraday bags used to block signals from devices.5WFLA. Christian Ziegler’s Search History Revealed in New Documents From Rape Investigation
Why No Charges Were Filed
On January 19, 2024, the Sarasota Police Department announced it was unable to develop probable cause to charge Ziegler with sexual battery. Detectives said the cellphone video of the encounter indicated it was “likely consensual.”6Politico. Christian Ziegler Won’t Be Charged With Rape The same day, police completed a probable cause affidavit for felony video voyeurism, stating the woman told investigators she was unaware she was being recorded and did not consent to the recording.7Sarasota Police Department. News Release – Christian Ziegler Investigation
The voyeurism case went to State Attorney Ed Brodsky’s office in the Twelfth Judicial Circuit. On March 6, 2024, prosecutors announced they would not file any charges.8Politico. Florida GOP’s Christian Ziegler Won’t Face Criminal Charges9NBC Miami. No Video Voyeurism Charge for Ousted Florida GOP Chair Ziegler Brodsky said the case was “decided squarely on its merits” and confirmed his office would not investigate the accuser for filing a false report.10Florida Politics. Ed Brodsky Says He’s Done Investigating Christian Ziegler
Ziegler’s attorney, Derek Byrd, said his client was “relieved to be completely cleared of the false allegations and any criminal wrongdoing.”9NBC Miami. No Video Voyeurism Charge for Ousted Florida GOP Chair Ziegler
Removal as Florida GOP Chairman
Ziegler had won the chairmanship of the Republican Party of Florida on February 18, 2023, defeating Leon County GOP Chair Evan Power 126 to 100 at the party’s annual meeting in Orlando.11WUSF. Former Sarasota County Commissioner Ziegler Named Florida GOP Chair12Florida Phoenix. Christian Ziegler Elected as New Chair of the Republican Party of Florida The investigation became public on November 30, 2023, when the Florida Trident reported that Ziegler was under criminal investigation, followed quickly by the Orlando Sentinel and Politico working from a search warrant affidavit obtained under Florida’s public records law.1Politico. Rape Accusation Against Florida Republican Party Chair Ziegler
Within days, Governor Ron DeSantis, U.S. Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz, and the leaders of both chambers of the Florida Legislature publicly called on Ziegler to resign.13PBS NewsHour. Florida’s GOP Suspends Its Chairman, Demands He Resign DeSantis said: “He’s innocent till proven guilty, but we just can’t have a party chair that is under that type of scrutiny. The mission is more important.”14NBC Miami. DeSantis Says Florida GOP Chair Ziegler Should Resign Amid Rape Allegation
Ziegler refused to step down. On December 17, 2023, the party’s executive board held an emergency meeting and suspended him, stripped him of his duties and fundraising authority, and cut his $120,000 annual salary to $1. The motion stated the board had “lost confidence in Christian Ziegler’s ability to effectively lead the Republican Party of Florida.”15Miami Herald. Florida GOP Suspends Chairman Ziegler13PBS NewsHour. Florida’s GOP Suspends Its Chairman, Demands He Resign
On January 8, 2024, the state executive committee voted him out, 199 to 3, and elected Evan Power to replace him.16Florida Politics. Christian Ziegler Out as Florida GOP Chair17Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Republican Party of Florida Votes to Remove Christian Ziegler as Chair
Bridget Ziegler and the Wider Fallout
The scandal was tangled up with the public profile of Bridget Ziegler. She co-founded Moms for Liberty, the conservative parents’ group that became a force in school board politics, though the organization’s other co-founders said she had resigned within a month of its January 2021 launch.18Florida Politics. Moms for Liberty Co-Founders ‘Truly Shaken’ by Serious Rape Allegation Against Christian Ziegler She served on the Sarasota County School Board and had been appointed by Governor DeSantis to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, the board overseeing the special district around Walt Disney World.19NPR. Florida’s GOP Power Couple Is Embroiled in Scandal
Critics pointed to what they called hypocrisy: the Zieglers had championed Florida’s “Parental Rights in Education” law, dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” law by opponents, while privately pursuing a sexual relationship with another woman. Bridget Ziegler’s acknowledgment to police that she had participated in a threesome fueled the backlash.19NPR. Florida’s GOP Power Couple Is Embroiled in Scandal On December 12, 2023, the Sarasota School Board voted 4–1 in a non-binding resolution asking her to resign. She cast the sole dissenting vote and refused to leave, calling the resolution toothless.20WLRN. School Board Votes for Scandal-Hit Moms for Liberty Co-Founder to Resign; She Refuses She later told the board the public commentary had “absolutely nothing to do with my role as a board member.”21ABC News. Moms for Liberty Founder Faces Calls for Resignation From School Board
Bridget Ziegler lost her position at the Leadership Institute, a conservative training organization in the Washington, D.C. area.19NPR. Florida’s GOP Power Couple Is Embroiled in Scandal She kept her school board seat, and by November 2025 had been selected as School Board Chair, a role she had also held in 2017 and 2022.22Florida Politics. Bridget Ziegler Back in Leadership Roles as Sarasota Education Politics Come Full Circle Her term on the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board expired in early 2025 and she was not reappointed.23Orlando Sentinel. Florida’s Disney World Tourism Oversight Board Gets New Chair, Board Members
The Zieglers’ Federal Lawsuit
On October 31, 2025, Christian and Bridget Ziegler filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. The defendants are the City of Sarasota and two Sarasota Police Department detectives, Angela Cox and Maria Llovio.24Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Zieglers Sue Sarasota Detectives Over Alleged Rights Violations
The suit alleges violations of the Fourth, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendments during the 2023 investigation. The Zieglers contend that police withheld exculpatory evidence, executed an overly broad search warrant on phone records, and intentionally included private marital communications in public reports. They are seeking compensatory and punitive damages for harm to their reputations, family life, professional careers, and economic losses.24Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Zieglers Sue Sarasota Detectives Over Alleged Rights Violations The case is pending.