https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/12/13/moms-for-liberty-bridget-ziegler-florida-school-board-sex-scandal/71902488007/SARASOTA, Fla. — As the Sarasota County School Board convened for the final time this year on Tuesday, Bridget Ziegler entered the board chambers facing a rift largely driven by agenda item No. 1: a colleague's resolution calling for her resignation.
Despite Ziegler's four board colleagues voting to call for her to resign and hours of public comment mostly urging her to do so, there was no indication she was considering stepping down.
The rising demands for her resignation came amid emerging details of her involvement in a three-way sexual relationship, which became public as a sexual assault investigation into her husband, Christian Ziegler unfolded.
In her first public appearance since reports surfaced of the sexual assault allegation against her husband, Ziegler appeared defiant. She asked the board's legal counsel, Patrick Duggan, about the nature of the resolution, who described it as "ceremonial in nature" because the board has no authority to remove a member.
“You know, I am disappointed. As people may know, I serve on another public board and this issue did not come up and we were able to forge ahead with the business of the board," said Bridget Ziegler, referring to her governor-appointed position on the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.
Bridget Ziegler did not respond to several requests for comment from Herald-Tribune reporters before the meeting. At a workshop earlier in the day, Bridget Ziegler quickly exited the chambers with a police officer while communications director Craig Maniglia told reporters that the board member was not available for comment.
Bridget Ziegler won her most recent election in August 2022, meaning her term expires in 2026 should she choose to not resign.
