Florida Republican Party Chairman Christian Ziegler is currently under investigation by the Sarasota Police Department, his attorney Derek Byrd confirmed to CBS News.
Byrd did not specify the exact allegations against Ziegler, but in response to a CBS News question about Ziegler's charges, the Sarasota Police Department returned a heavily redacted police report that mentions an accusation of rape and sexual battery that allegedly occurred on Oct. 2 in the city.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called on Ziegler to resign as state party chair late Thursday night.
"I don't see how he can continue with that investigation ongoing, given the gravity of those situations," DeSantis told reporters in Alpharetta, Georgia, after his Fox News debate with California Gov. Gavin Newsom. "And so I think that he should, I think he should step aside."
"He's innocent 'til proven guilty, but we just can't have a party chair that is under that type of scrutiny," DeSantis added.
The Florida Trident, a nonprofit organization focusing on government accountability, reported that a woman, Christian Ziegler and his wife, Bridget Ziegler, engaged "in a three-way sexual encounter more than a year before the incident," citing a search warrant publicly released in the case Friday. The events being investigated allegedly occurred while Christian Ziegler and the woman were alone at the woman's home, indicated The Trident, which initially cited sources close to the investigation. According to police, Bridget Ziegler was expected to come to the woman's home for a threesome planned the day of the incident but was unable to make it.
Bridget Ziegler is a co-founder of Moms for Liberty, a right-wing group that dubs itself a parental rights advocate and attempts to elect far-right candidates to school boards. The group opposes references to race and LGBTQ identity in the classroom and has called for books referencing gender and sexuality to be removed from school libraries.
Byrd said Christian Ziegler "has been fully cooperative with every request made by the Sarasota Police Department," adding that once the police department finishes its probe, he is "confident" they won't file charges and that "Ziegler will be completely exonerated."
The Florida Democratic Party echoed the governor's call for Ziegler to step down as Florida's GOP chair in a statement.
"Christian Ziegler can't possibly continue to lead the Florida GOP under these conditions," Florida Democratic Party chair Nikki Fried said. "Given the severity of the criminal allegations, I'm calling for his immediate resignation."
"As for the more salacious allegations — what happens behind closed doors is Christian and Bridget's personal business," Fried continued. "That being said, I do find it interesting that two people who are so obsessed with banning books about gay penguins might be engaged in a non-traditional sexual relationship."
Republican Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody was asked about the accusation against Ziegler in a news conference ahead of the DeSantis-Newsom debate. Moody said she had not seen the facts, so she had no comment.
