Florida Republican Party ousts Christian Ziegler as chairman after rape allegation

The Republican Party of Florida on Monday formally voted to remove chairman Christian Ziegler, who is facing rape and video voyeurism allegations.

The move was widely expected after news broke last month that the Sarasota County Police Department was investigating allegations that Ziegler had raped a woman with whom he and his wife, Bridget, had had a previous sexual encounter.

Ziegler has denied wrongdoing, and he has not yet formally been charged, but a series of search warrant affidavits first obtained by the Florida Center for Government Accountability outlines the allegations in detail.

This is a breaking news story and will continue to be updated.