Outside the Beltway

Mid-Week Tabs

Steven L. Taylor
13

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Ziegler is facing allegations, which were first reported by the Florida Center for Government Accountability, that he raped a Sarasota woman he and his wife, Bridget, had known for 20 years and with whom they had had past sexual encounters. 

Before an early October encounter, Bridget said she could not attend and the woman canceled. Christian, however, still showed up at her apartment and raped her, according to court records.

[…]

Along with rape allegations, the Sarasota County Police Department expanded its investigation last week into whether Ziegler illegally filmed a sexual encounter with the woman, according to a search warrant affidavit a judge approved Dec. 8 that sought access to Ziegler’s social media messages.

[…]

The investigation has gotten national attention because both Christian and Bridget are prominent Florida Republicans. Bridget is a co-founder of Moms for Liberty, a nationwide group that tries to get conservative women elected to local school boards.

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13 responses to “Mid-Week Tabs”

  1. Bill Jempty Avatar
    Bill Jempty

    I’m a political junkie but the doings of local non-elected party* leaders, like Mr. Ziegler, don’t interest me. That said I hope justice is done in respects to him.

    *- Either party on the state or county level.

  2. OzarkHillbilly Avatar
    OzarkHillbilly

    Florida Republican Party ousts Christian Ziegler as chairman after rape allegation.

    We all know Republicans are completely OK with allegations of rape, adjudicated or not (exhibit #1: trump). Getting caught with their pants down while engaged in sexual “perversions” wouldn’t bother the GOP either, hypocrisy is their stock in trade after all.

    As to what the Ziegler’s real sin is, I don’t know, but I would put my money on “They got too big for their britches” and the Florida GOP just got tired of their act.

    Roger Stone Discussed Assassinating Dems Before 2020 Election: Report. You know, this would be big news for almost any other presidential adviser ever.

    Also, Roger Stone threatening to kill somebody is nothing more than another day ending in “Y”.

    ETA: as for Trump Shares New Ad: ‘God Made Trump’., I always blamed God for this. Maybe God will finally turn trump into a pillar of salt for this blasphemy.

    2
  3. Michael Cain Avatar
    Michael Cain

    @Bill Jempty:

    I’m a political junkie but the doings of local non-elected party* leaders, like Mr. Ziegler, don’t interest me.

    I pay some attention to the local Republicans because they’re occasionally good for a laugh. They’re slowly becoming the party of local ineptitude, like failing to file the paperwork required by the state for most of a year. It seems hard to believe sometimes that just 20 years ago they dominated the state legislature and statewide elective offices.

    1
  4. Steven L. Taylor Avatar
    Steven L. Taylor

    @Bill Jempty: That people in leadership positions who are advocating for policy outcomes that negatively affect others while hypocritically engaging in those behaviors (not to mention crimes) certainly shouldn’t matter at all.

    It certainly does not speak to a broader problem.

    /s

    1
  5. Matt Bernius Avatar
    Matt Bernius

    The investigation has gotten national attention because both Christian and Bridget are prominent Florida Republicans. Bridget is a co-founder of Moms for Liberty, a nationwide group that tries to get conservative women elected to local school boards.

    Moms for Liberty has also been a major player in efforts to remove books with “sexual” and “immoral” content (often, but not always, LGBTQ+ content) from school and public libraries. Which, given the ways this couple is purported to conduct the (legal) aspects of their sex lives, feels like just a bit of hypocrisy.

    4
  6. gVOR10 Avatar
    gVOR10

    @Michael Cain: The local papers are reporting that they guy replacing Ziegler as party chair is a lobbyist. I’d dearly like to know for whom he’s a lobbyist, but I haven’t seen that reported. It does smell like maybe the business as usual business Republicans are trying to damp down some of the MAGA craziness.

    Some weeks ago my home county, Sarasota, school board took a purely advisory vote on whether Mrs. Ziegler, a Mom’s for Liberty (sic) founder, should step down. The vote was 4 to 1 in favor of her leaving. She got to vote. Apparently there’s no way to kick her off.

    In other local news, DeUseless gave his state of the state speech. Apparently he had nothing. The standard brags about how he’s made FL great, but no new material and no new initiatives. It gives the impression he’s given up on prez and just wants to warm the governor’s chair until he’s out.

    @Steven L. Taylor: Why one might even say the Zieglers see themselves as protected by the law, but not bound by it. In her case more norms than laws, but still they only bind the little people. (Lest I be accused of wanting to punish people for private bedroom behavior, 1) her husband made it not private, and 2) I suspect for the school board it’s a convenient hook to get rid of a massive hypocrite and constant pain in the arse.)

    2
  7. Steven L. Taylor Avatar
    Steven L. Taylor

    @gVOR10: Indeed, it is a massive problem when elites(in a political sense) think that they are not bound by the laws and norms they promote (see, e.g., Trump as an extreme example).

    This is especially problematic when those elites are pushing norms and laws that they clearly do not truly value, but are doing so simply as a pathway to power.

    It is not health for our politics.

    3
  8. Kathy Avatar
    Kathy

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    I blame Jeremiah Wright. He prayed that God damn America, and He did in the form of the Orange Ass.

    3
  9. Jay L Gischer Avatar
    Jay L Gischer

    @Steven L. Taylor: I see the Zeiglers a bit differently. In queer culture there are “beards” and there’s the closet. Things that people who are gay do to convince people – maybe themselves – that they aren’t gay.

    This seems a lot like what the Zeiglers are doing. They might well think they are trying to save children from the perverse obsessions that have gripped themselves. They might be trying to convince themselves that they still are “good” people.

    I am guessing of course, but I think I could put that into a character and have it work. Not that I would want to play that character.

    3
  10. gVOR10 Avatar
    gVOR10

    @Jay L Gischer: It’s a commonplace that every accusation conservatives make is a confession. I’ve often wondered if they aren’t so concerned about people being “turned” gay because of fears about themselves. I distrust people who won’t do the right thing without the threat of eternal damnation. They seem to need that threat from religion to prevent behavior prohibited – by their religion.

    2
  11. gVOR10 Avatar
    gVOR10

    @Jay L Gischer: It’s a commonplace that every accusation conservatives make is a confession. I’ve often wondered if they aren’t so concerned about people being “turned” gay because of fears about themselves. I distrust people who won’t do the right thing without the threat of eternal damnation. They seem to need that threat from religion to prevent behavior prohibited – by their religion.

  12. Jen Avatar
    Jen

    @gVOR10: Evan Power works for a lobbying company called RAMBA Consulting Group. Standard lobbying fare, it seems like one of those organizations that gets pulled on board when a company’s in-house lobbying team needs state-specific advice.

  13. Matt Bernius Avatar
    Matt Bernius

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    Also, Roger Stone threatening to kill somebody is nothing more than another day ending in “Y”.

    Sadly this. Which is why this really isn’t a threat and shouldn’t be prosecuted.

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