SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) – A Sarasota School board member is calling the controversy of another member ‘a charade of political theater.’ Bridget Ziegler said she will keep her position amid a police investigation into her husband and a sex scandal.
In a 4-1 vote on Tuesday night, the Sarasota School Board passed a resolution calling for the resignation of board member Bridget Ziegler. Her husband, GOP chairman Christian Ziegler, is under investigation for rape allegations. Bridget has also admitted that she and Christian had a sexual relationship with the accuser.
Bridget Ziegler was the only opposing vote.
“I am disappointed,” she said.
An attorney representing the school board says this resolution is merely ceremonial. It is nonbinding.
Bridget asked, “This does not have any teeth, is that correct?” The attorney responded, “This board has no ability to remove one of the other members.”
Only the governor has that authority.
“They can’t afford to lose her seat, which would come up for a reelection at around the same time that mine and Mrs. Rose’s would be available so the boards complexity could change dramatically,” said Tom Edwards, board member.
Board Member Edwards wants to send a letter to Gov. DeSantis to get Ziegler removed from office, but other board members disagreed.
“I thought the whole charade of political theater around the resolution was a complete farce and waste of time, and the public was gaslighted,” said Edwards.
Dr. Tara Newsom is a professor at St. Petersburg College. She said the Zieglers were part of the boots on the ground movement in Florida that tried to propel Gov. DeSantis into the presidency.
“I think the Ziegler’s and DeSantis are tied together, and this looks like a dead end for possibly both of them,” said Dr. Newsome.
Bridget Ziegler is a co-founder of Moms For Liberty. It’s a group pushing conservative policies in schools, including the Parental Right in Education Act that critics dubbed ‘don’t say gay.’ Critics have called Ziegler a hypocritical.
“Certainly their rise to the top in the Republican party in the state of Florida, and on the national landscape is going to come to a screeching halt,” said Newsom.
The Ziegler’s have not commented on the current investigation surrounding Christian. Sarasota Police said there are no updates to currently share as it’s an open investigation.
