Former Florida GOP Chair Christian Ziegler and his Moms for Liberty co-founder wife have launched a lawsuit in an attempt to keep records related to his rape probe a secret.
Ziegler was accused in October of raping a woman who had a threesome with him and his wife Bridget. He lost his top Republican role over the investigation, which has not resulted in charges.
Amid the fallout of the sex scandal, the couple filed a lawsuit Friday against the State Attorney’s Office and the Sarasota Police Department, alleging that the release of the records would ’cause great humiliation and harm to their individual reputations.’
They claim that cops had unlimited access to Christian’s phone that included information from other periods of time, including his browser history and call logs.
Former Florida GOP Chair Christian Ziegler (right) and his Mom’s for Liberty co-founder wife Bridget (left) are suing to keep records obtained in Christian’s rape probe from the public
Christian was ousted as Florida GOP Chairman last year in the wake of the investigation, which did not result in him being charged with any crimes
Because investigators had such broad access, the Zieglers are petitioning Sarasota County court to ‘order the permanent destruction’ of any text messages found in the phone, reports the Daily Beast.
According to the recently filed complaint, first obtained by Trident, one of the search warrants gave ‘unfettered access to the entire contents of Christian Ziegler’s cell phone.’
‘To say that someone’s entire life is contained on one’s cell phone is an understatement,’ the complaint read.
Both the police department and prosecutor’s office have already received public records requests for ‘the entirety’ of the information, which they say has furthered concerns their reputations could be damaged by the contents.
‘The Zieglers are concerned that other individuals and media outlets will most likely make, or have already made, similar public records requests with either SPD or the SAO now that the investigation has concluded,’ they said in the reported filing.
Among the damaging information alleged to be in the phone records includes a ‘video of Christian Ziegler and his accuser engaging in sexual intercourse’, and ‘the entirety’ of his ‘web browsing history.’
The footage of Ziegler and his accuser was handed over to police by Christian while he was under investigation as proof the intercourse was consensual.
In their complaint, Bridget (pictured) and Christian Ziegler say they are fearful the media will release the contents of Christian’s phone, and public record requests have already been made by some outlets
After he was interrogated by cops last year, Christian reportedly made several Google searches on his phone including ‘Sexual battery settlement average’, ‘Subpoena Instagram Vanish’ and ‘Accused of sexual battery and dismissed’
Before the scandal made headlines last year, the Zieglers (pictured with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis) were seen as a rising power couple in Republican circles
The couple say in their filing that the release of the materials would be a violation of their right to privacy under the Florida constitution.
Their fears over the release of phone contents comes after allegations that Christian told his wife to ‘hunt’ for a threesome partner, and had a list of woman’s names in his phone titled ‘THE LIST.’
The alleged list also included his rape accuser, who was filed under a sub-heading ‘F***’, cops claimed in a February filing.
When the rape allegations were made last year, his accuser said that it came after she cancelled plans to have sex with the couple.
When detectives initially spoke to Christian, he reportedly made Google searches on his phone surrounding their investigation including ‘Sexual battery settlement average’, ‘Subpoena Instagram Vanish’ and ‘Accused of sexual battery and dismissed.’
Their fears over the release of their text messages also follows an alleged conversation from February 2021, where Bridget showed concern for her well-being and suggested their find someone else.
In the reported text exchange, Christian told his wife to ‘come home, stop and pick up [a woman] to play again and be crazy’.
It is believed he was referring to the alleged victim who he claimed ‘was an alcoholic, nice person with some issues’.
Christian Ziegler was accused of rape in November last year by a woman that he and his wife had allegedly previously had sex with together
Bridget responded that she was worried the woman was ‘going through some s***’ and ‘that she prefers confident empowered people.’
The documents stated that Ziegler said he liked that the woman was ‘close and there was no drama which turns him on’.
‘I just don’t want to feel like we ever take advantage of anyone (I know it’s always been consensual) but she seems… “broken” or like she’s going through some s***,’ Bridget said.
‘I don’t know—that’s the vibe I pick up from her—and my nature is more likely to help her versus … ya know.’
Ziegler then suggested they ‘needed to hunt for someone new’, according to police.