Ousted Florida Republican Party Chairman Christian Ziegler was cleared of rape allegations by Sarasota police on Friday, but could still face a serious charge of video voyeurism for recording a “probably consensual” sexual encounter with a woman. whom he had invited to have a threesome with him and his wife.
“As a result of the lengthy investigation, Sarasota Police detectives found video evidence that on October 2, 2023, a sexual encounter occurred between the victim and Christian Ziegler,” the Sarasota Police Department said in a statement.
“Ziegler recorded the meeting on his cell phone. The video showed that the encounter was likely consensual. Therefore, detectives were unable to develop probable cause to charge Ziegler with sexual assault,” authorities added.
Police said the victim told detectives she “was not conscious and did not consent to being videotaped.”
As a result, local police have submitted a probable cause affidavit for felony video voyeurism against Ziegler to the State Attorney’s Office for further review.
Video voyeurism is a third-degree felony in Florida and is punishable by up to five years in prison.
“From day one, we have been confident that Mr. Ziegler would be exonerated of these baseless allegations,” Ziegler’s attorney, Derek Byrd, said in a statement.
“He has been completely honest, forthright and has fully cooperated with authorities at every stage of this investigation,” he added. “While we are disappointed that the Sarasota Police Department ‘transmitted’ the decision on the remaining portion of the case to the State’s Attorney’s office, we firmly believe that the State’s Attorney will not prosecute Mr. Ziegler for any crimes.”
Police found that the sexual encounter between Ziegler and his accuser was “likely consensual.” SOPA Images
Ziegler was ousted as head of the Florida Republican Party earlier this month. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
In November, a report revealed that Ziegler was under criminal investigation by Sarasota police after an unidentified woman accused him of raping her inside her home on October 2, 2023.
The now-former Sunshine State Republican leader is married to Bridget Ziegler, co-founder of the parents’ rights group Moms for Liberty and a member of the Sarasota County school board.
Bridget Ziegler confirmed to investigators that she and her husband had a consensual threesome with the alleged victim, whom Christian Ziegler has known for 20 years, more than a year earlier, a police affidavit shows.
The report indicates that Christian Ziegler and the alleged victim had agreed to have another threesome on the day of the alleged assault, only for the other woman to cancel at the last minute when she learned Bridget Ziegler couldn’t attend.
“I’m sorry,” the accuser texted Christian Ziegler, according to the affidavit. “I was mostly in favor of her.”
According to court documents, Christian Ziegler drove to the woman’s apartment and intercepted her as she was out walking her dog before the two had sex.
As a result of the allegations and criminal investigation, the Florida Republican Party formally ousted Christian Ziegler from his position as party leader earlier this month during an emergency meeting.
Ziegler did not immediately respond to the Post’s request for comment.
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