DeSantis Repeats Calls For FL GOP Chair To Step Down Amid Sex Scandal

The hits keep coming amid the sex scandal for Florida GOP Party Chairman Christian Ziegler (top photo) and his wife, Bridget Ziegler (a co-founder of the virulently anti-LGBTQ group Moms for Liberty) as Gov. Ron DeSantis has again called for Christian to step down from his position after being accused of rape. https://twitter.com/PhilAmmann/status/1732073604936880285 According to police reports, a search warrant for contents of Christian Ziegler’s phone shows the couple separately admitted to a past three-way sexual encounter with a woman now accusing Christian Ziegler of raping her in a Sarasota apartment. The couple had apparently scheduled another sex date with the woman. But when Bridget indicated she couldn’t make it due to scheduling, the woman told Christian she’d skip the “date” because she was more interested in Bridget. Police reports indicate Christian showed up at her apartment anyway and, according to the woman, forced her to have sex with him. Now, I’m not going to judge someone for having sex outside their marriage. That’s the Ziegler’s business. What I do have an issue with is Trump supporting Christian Ziegler and his wife acting holier-than-thou as they demonize LGBTQ people while they engage in their shenanigans in private. https://twitter.com/Fla_Pol/status/1732144107156291715 In new remarks, Gov. DeSantis is now doubling down on his calls for Christian to step down as party chair. “I said that the other night when it came out, it’s, look, you’re innocent until proven guilty,” DeSantis said according to Florida Politics. “There’s clearly things that are lodged against people that aren’t necessarily true. But I think when you have an investigation of crimes of this magnitude, I think that the mission has to come first.” “It is not helpful to the mission to have this hanging over his head,” DeSantis added. U.S. Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) has also called for Ziegler to step aside as well. Two members of DeSantis’ Cabinet — Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and state CFO Jimmy Patronis — also echoed statements that Ziegler could no longer continue to lead the Florida GOP. https://twitter.com/MiamiHerald/status/1732122710375874562 Plus, Moms for Liberty are now distancing themselves away from their co-founder saying they are “truly shaken” by the allegations. “We have been truly shaken to read of the serious, criminal allegations against Christian Ziegler,” said Moms for Liberty co-founders Tina Descovich and Tiffany Justice in a statement. “We believe any allegation of sexual assault should be taken seriously and fully investigated.” The Northumberland County chapter of Moms for Liberty has already announced that it will pause activities, and members will form a different group with no connection to the Florida-based organization. https://twitter.com/jennycohn1/status/1731835721504178378 And now, the Republican state Vice Chair Evan Power has announced he wants a special meeting to discuss the allegations. https://twitter.com/Fla_Pol/status/1731970486140108901