The recently disclosed search warrant affidavit has cast further light on the sexual battery allegations against Christian Ziegler, the current chair of the Florida Republican Party. These allegations have prompted calls from various political figures for Ziegler to resign.
According to the affidavit, a woman, previously involved in a consensual sexual encounter with Ziegler and his wife, Bridget, a political figure in Florida, has accused Ziegler of the crime. The document, obtained through public records, confirms details initially reported by the Florida Center for Government Accountability, based on anonymous sources.
While Ziegler has not been formally charged, his lawyer, Derek Byrd, maintains his innocence. The Sarasota Police, seeking a warrant for Ziegler’s phone and Google accounts, detailed the accusations.
They involve a planned sexual encounter with the woman and Bridget Ziegler, which the woman cancelled upon learning Bridget couldn’t attend. The woman alleges that later, Ziegler entered her apartment uninvited and sexually assaulted her.
This claim is supported by surveillance footage showing Ziegler at the apartment. However, Ziegler, in a police interview with his lawyer, claimed the encounter was consensual and that he had recorded it, initially deleting the video but later uploading it to his Google Drive. Police state they have been unable to find the video.
The affidavit also mentions a past sexual encounter involving the Zieglers and the woman. Bridget admits to detectives having a sexual relationship with the woman and her husband.
High-profile politicians, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida Democratic Party chairwoman Nikki Fried, have called for Ziegler’s resignation. DeSantis expressed his views after a debate, as reported by NBC News, citing the severity of the allegations. Additionally, a heavily redacted police report, released in response to inquiries about a complaint against Ziegler, contains an accusation of sexual battery from an incident on October 2 at a Sarasota home. This report, however, does not explicitly name Ziegler.
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