Hate group founder’s husband avoids rape charges but may be charged for secret sex tape

Former Florida GOP chair Christian Ziegler – the husband of disgraced Moms for Liberty co-founder Bridget Ziegler – will not face rape charges after being accused of forcing himself on a woman he and his wife have had threesomes with.

A press release from the Sarasota Police Department stated that a video provided by Christian Ziegler of the sexual encounter between him and the alleged victim has led them to conclude it “was likely consensual.” Christian Ziegler could still be charged with video voyeurism, though, since the woman says he filmed the encounter without her permission.

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She kissed a girl and she liked it.

In early January, the Florida Republican Party voted to eject Christian Ziegler as its chairman amidst the rape allegations. A majority of 200 state Republicans voted to oust and replace him.

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At the same time, Bridget Ziegler was quietly removed as the director of the School Board Leadership Program at the Leadership Institute, an organization that trains conservative activists. The Sarasota School Board also voted unanimously for her to resign, but she has refused thus far.

Bridget Ziegler is not implicated in the alleged rape but has admitted to having threesomes with the woman and has been roundly criticized since the organization she co-founded, Moms for Liberty, opposes LGBTQ+ content and inclusive policies in public schools. She is also a leader in the so-called “parent’s rights” movement, which has been trying to get LGBTQ+ books banned from school libraries.

Students, parents, and community members have continued their calls for Bridget Ziegler to resign from the Sarasota County School Board. A recent public comment period calling for her resignation lasted almost three hours and included dozens of speakers.

A statement from Christian Ziegler’s attorney, Derek Byrd, said he has always “been confident Mr. Ziegler would be exonerated from these baseless allegations.”

“At the beginning of the investigation, we asked and warned the public to withhold judgment of criminal wrongdoing until a thorough investigation of the facts was complete,” Byrd continued. “Sadly, many people and media outlets refused to give Mr. Ziegler that courtesy. That was unfair and unfortunate and has caused irreparable harm to Mr. Ziegler’s reputation, his personal life, professional life, and his family.”

Byrd also said he believes the state attorney will decide not to prosecute Christian Ziegler “for any crime.”

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