Florida Party of Florida Chairman Christian Ziegler addresses attendees on the Republican Party of Florida Freedom Summit on Nov. 4 in Kissimmee, Fla. The Republican Party of Florida suspended Ziegler and demanded his resignation throughout an emergency assembly on Sunday.

Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP

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Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP

Florida Party of Florida Chairman Christian Ziegler addresses attendees on the Republican Party of Florida Freedom Summit on Nov. 4 in Kissimmee, Fla. The Republican Party of Florida suspended Ziegler and demanded his resignation throughout an emergency assembly on Sunday.

Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Republican Party of Florida suspended Chairman Christian Ziegler and demanded his resignation throughout an emergency assembly Sunday, including to calls by Gov. Ron DeSantis and different high officers for him to step down as police investigate a rape accusation against him.

Ziegler is accused of raping a girl with whom he and his spouse, Moms for Liberty co-founder Bridget Ziegler, had a previous consensual sexual relationship, in accordance with police data.

“Christian Ziegler has engaged in conduct that renders him unfit for the office,” the celebration’s movement to censure Ziegler stated, in accordance with a doc posted on the social media platform X by Lee County GOP Chairman Michael Thomason.

Ziegler tried to defend himself throughout the closed-door assembly, however the celebration board shortly took the motion in opposition to him, Thompson stated.

“Ziegler on soap box trying to defend himself, not working,” Thompson posted earlier than confirming the votes.

The celebration’s govt committee will maintain one other vote sooner or later on whether or not to take away Ziegler.

The Sarasota Police Department is investigating the girl’s accusation that Ziegler raped her at her condo in October. Police paperwork say the Zieglers and the girl had deliberate a sexual threesome that day, however Bridget Ziegler was unable to make it. The accuser says Christian Ziegler arrived anyway and assaulted her.

Christian Ziegler has not been charged with a criminal offense and says he’s harmless, contending the encounter was consensual.

The accusation additionally has triggered turmoil for Bridget Ziegler, an elected member of the Sarasota School Board, although she shouldn’t be accused of any crime. On Tuesday the board voted to ask her to resign. She refused.

The couple have been outspoken opponents of LGBTQ+ rights, and their relationship with one other girl has sparked criticism and accusations of hypocrisy.

In addition to DeSantis, Republican Sens. Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz and Florida’s Republican House and Senate leaders have all known as for Christian Ziegler’s resignation.