Christian Ziegler investigation: Video voyeurism case against ousted state GOP chair sent to prosecutors

SARASOTA, Fla. - The criminal case against ousted Florida GOP Chair Christian Ziegler was sent to the State Attorney's Office after investigators found probable cause for the felony charge of video voyeurism. 

This comes more than three months after the Sarasota Police Department began their investigation into rape allegations made against Ziegler by a woman that he and his wife, Sarasota School Board member Bridget Ziegler, had a prior consensual sexual relationship with. 

Pictured: Christian Ziegler. 

Sarasota detectives said in a release on Friday that they won't be pursuing the sexual battery charge against the ousted state GOP chair. They said video of the encounter showed that it was "likely consensual." 

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However, Sarasota police said they prepared a probable cause affidavit for video voyeurism against Ziegler, which was sent to the State Attorney's Office for them to review. Detectives conducted a follow-up interview with the victim, and after showing her the video recording of the sex act between her and Ziegler, she told them she wasn't aware she was being recorded and didn't consent to it. 

"As with all cases, Sarasota Police detectives handled this case with the utmost diligence and impartiality," the department said in its release. "Ziegler has cooperated with Sarasota Police throughout the investigation."

Detectives with SPD began investigating the allegations against Ziegler on October 4, 2023. They said they conducted nearly a dozen interviews, issued multiple subpoenas, reviewed hours of surveillance footage and searched through numerous images and videos on cellphones while working the case. 

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Authorities said they had found video evidence from October 2, 2023 of the sexual encounter between Ziegler and the woman – something recorded on the former chairman's phone. 

The Republican Party of Florida ousted Ziegler earlier this month in a special vote, which came after the party previously suspended him and demanded his resignation. As the allegations swirled over the last few months, Gov. Ron DeSantis, U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott as well as other Republican leaders called on Ziegler to step down, but he refused. 

Ziegler and his wife, Bridget Ziegler, have admitted to police that they previously had a consensual sexual relationship with Christian Ziegler's accuser. Bridget Ziegler is also a co-founder of Moms for Liberty, a national conservative activist group that has successfully gotten members elected to school boards across the U.S. 

She has not been accused of a crime, but she has faced calls to resign from her position on Sarasota County's school board. While the district had previously voted to request her resignation, she has continued to refuse. 

Ziegler's case was handed over to the 12th Judicial Circuit Office of the State Attorney on Friday. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.