Zieglers sue to stop release of records gathered during probe

Former state GOP chairman Christian Ziegler and his wife, Sarasota County School Board member Bridget Ziegler, have filed a lawsuit against law enforcement agencies to stop release of records related to a now-closed sexual battery and video voyeurism investigation.

The lawsuit, filed in Sarasota County Court on Monday against the Sarasota Police Department and the State Attorney’s Office for the 12th Judicial Circuit, seeks to prohibit release of any more of the couple’s private communications obtained during the investigation. It also asks that all such communications be destroyed.

An attorney for the couple, Matthew Sarelson, argued that the release of records stemmed from “an unsubstantiated police report” with the Police Department.

In October, a woman told Sarasota police officers that Christian Ziegler, then chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, had sexually assaulted her. Police opted against charging Ziegler with sexual battery after saying a video appeared to show consensual sex, but the department sent a video voyeurism charge to the state attorney. The state attorney declined to file charges after the woman said it “was possible” she could have consented to the video being taken.

During the investigation, records obtained by the police department were released to the media and the public, some of which detailed previous sexual activity the couple had with the woman who accused Ziegler of battery. Amid the police investigation, Christian Ziegler was ousted as Republican chairperson.

In the court filing, the Zieglers seek to prevent release of any of their text messages and other communications in the hands of law enforcement.

Sarelson wrote that only the communications between Ziegler and his accuser should be available to the public. He argued private conversations between the married couple are privileged.