In a recent development, the Sarasota Police Department cleared Christian Ziegler, the former chair of the Florida Republican Party, of rape allegations on Friday. However, they have recommended that he be charged with video voyeurism for illegally recording a sexual encounter with a female acquaintance.

In a statement, the police department revealed that a review of a cellphone video made by Ziegler showed that the encounter was "likely consensual," making it impractical to charge him with rape. Nevertheless, the woman involved stated that she did not consent to being recorded and was unaware of it happening.

Consequently, the police have handed over their findings to Sarasota County State Attorney Ed Brodsky's office, urging them to pursue charges of video voyeurism against Ziegler. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison, as it is considered a third-degree felony under Florida law.

State Attorney Brodsky confirmed that his team will thoroughly examine the evidence and recommendation, while also reviewing the decision not to charge Ziegler with rape or sexual assault. It is worth noting that Brodsky is an elected Republican.

Ziegler's attorney, Derek Byrd, expressed confidence in his client's exoneration, stating, "since day one, we have been confident Mr. Ziegler would be exonerated from these baseless allegations." Byrd emphasized Ziegler's cooperation with law enforcement throughout the investigation.

Ziegler, 40, had previously admitted to engaging in consensual sex with the woman, attributing the controversy surrounding the encounter to political opponents sensationalizing the matter. His wife, Bridget Ziegler, corroborated this, revealing to detectives that the three had engaged in consensual sex over a year ago. However, Bridget Ziegler opted out of the planned encounter, and Christian Ziegler proceeded to meet the accuser alone.

Bridget Ziegler is a prominent conservative figure, known as the co-founder of the Moms for Liberty organization and an elected member of the Sarasota County school board. She was also appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis to the board now overseeing Walt Disney World's land development.

Following the rape accusation investigation, the Republican Party of Florida expelled Ziegler earlier this month. Several prominent Republican leaders, including Governor DeSantis and U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, called for Ziegler's resignation, citing his inability to lead effectively amid the allegations.

It remains unclear how the conclusion of the rape investigation will impact Ziegler's future with the state Republican Party. Evan Power has already been chosen as Ziegler's replacement by the party, assuming the role of vice chair of the state GOP.

The investigation into the rape accusation prompted the Sarasota Police Department to seek additional information from Ziegler's cellphone and Google account, including emails, photos, videos, and contacts. Detective Angela Cox mentioned this in search warrant affidavits.

According to the affidavits, Ziegler's accuser claimed that they had known each other for over 20 years and agreed to have sex on October 2. However, she backed out after learning that Ziegler's wife would not be joining them. The woman alleged that Ziegler later pushed her inside her apartment and raped her. Security video from the apartment complex showed Ziegler entering and leaving the building.

The woman reported the rape two days after the incident, with her sister confirming that she received a distressing call from the victim. Furthermore, recorded phone and text message conversations between Ziegler and the woman, monitored by police, revealed Ziegler claiming their friendship and suggesting an in-person meeting.

During a November 2 interview with detectives, Ziegler, accompanied by his attorney, maintained that the sexual encounter was consensual and that he had recorded it. He admitted deleting the video initially but later recovered and uploaded it to Google after the accusations surfaced.

As the investigation progresses, further developments will emerge, shedding light on the legal implications Ziegler will face in relation to the video voyeurism charge.