Bridget Ziegler, a co-founder of the conservative Moms for Liberty group and a member of the Sarasota County School Board, is at the center of a controversy involving her husband, Christian Ziegler, the Chair of the Florida Republican Party, that has exposed the pair’s overwhelming hypocrisy.
On Tuesday, the Sarasota School Board is set to consider a resolution calling for Bridget Ziegler’s voluntary resignation amid allegations against her husband involving sexual assault, according to the Associated Press.
Related: Florida Democrats Call for GOP Chair and His Wife to Resign Over Rape Allegations & ‘Staggering Hypocrisy’
Christian Ziegler, who has not been charged, denies the allegations but has acknowledged a consensual sexual relationship with the accuser. A police search warrant revealed that both Christian Ziegler and Bridget Ziegler had been involved in a sexual relationship with the accuser before the incident in question.
Despite Bridget Ziegler not facing any criminal charges, her fellow board members have expressed concerns that her continued presence on the board has become a significant distraction. Lisa Schurr, co-founder of Support Our Schools, is one of many voices calling Bridget Ziegler a hypocrite, criticizing her for attacking the LGBTQ community while allegedly leading a different life in private.
Bridget Ziegler has been an outspoken advocate for laws that limit teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity in schools, which has added to the accusations of hypocrisy.
Last week, Florida Democrats called for both Zieglers to resign from their positions.
Related: Moms for Liberty Sex Scandal Causes Pennsylvania Chapter to Split From National Group
WTVT, a Fox affiliate in Tampa Bay, reports that Bridget Ziegler is expected to address this controversy at Tuesday’s school board meeting. While largely symbolic, the resolution requesting her resignation underscores the severity of the situation and the impact it has had on the school board’s operations.
Pressure has been mounting on Christian Ziegler to resign as chairman of the Florida Republican Party. Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Rick Scott, both GOP politicians, are among the high-profile figures who have called for his resignation.
Bridget Ziegler’s tenure on the Sarasota County School Board has been marked by her active involvement in educational policy debates. Her advocacy for the “don’t say gay” law, which restricts discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools, has been a particular point of contention. Critics argue that her personal life, which includes having sex with another woman, as revealed by the allegations, starkly contrasts the policies she has supported, raising questions about the sincerity and motivation behind her educational stances.
Related: This Gay School Board Member Has Choice Words for the Zieglers’ Bisexual Tryst and Allegations
The controversy has also cast a spotlight on the Moms for Liberty organization, designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an anti-government extremist group, which Bridget Ziegler co-founded. The group, known for its advocacy for book bans and restrictions on discussions surrounding race, sexual orientation, and gender identity, is facing questions about the group’s motivations in the wake of widespread rejection of Moms for Liberty-endorsed candidates in recent elections nationwide.
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