Wilton Simpson joins calls for Christian Ziegler to resign

Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson is calling on Republican Party of Florida Chair Christian Ziegler to resign.

“While everyone deserves the presumption of innocence until proven guilty in a court of law, the tremendously serious accusations being made against Christian make it impossible for him to effectively carry out the responsibilities of Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida,” said Simpson, a Trilby Republican.

News broke last week that Ziegler was under active criminal investigation for rape. A search warrant for video on Ziegler’s phone shows the party leader admitted to a sexual encounter to police but said it was consensual. An attorney for Ziegler said an investigation will exonerate him.

Simpson said the legal process will play out but will compromise Ziegler’s ability to lead the party.

“With just over 100 days until our state’s Presidential Primary, Christian needs to step down, focus on his family and let others lead our party through next year’s organizational, fundraising and voter registration needs,” Simpson said.

Simpson is the first member of the Florida Cabinet to demand Ziegler’s resignation. He’s the third statewide elected official to demand Ziegler step aside.

Gov. Ron DeSantis reiterated a call for Ziegler to leave his role as party Chair on Tuesday.

“There’s clearly things that are lodged against people that aren’t necessarily true,” the Republican Governor said. “But I think when you have an investigation of crimes of this magnitude, I think that the mission has to come first. It is not helpful to the mission to have this hanging over his head.”

DeSantis first called for Ziegler’s resignation the day news first broke of the investigation.

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, a Naples Republican, on Tuesday joined the list of officials demanding Ziegler step down.

“I’m very concerned about the reports I’ve read,” Scott said. “The allegations are very disturbing.”

To date, Ziegler has rebuffed any calls for him to quit.

Republican Party of Florida Vice Chairman Evan Power wants a special meeting in Orlando on Dec. 17 to discuss Ziegler’s future.