Republican party of Florida ousts chairman over rape allegations

Christian Ziegler was suspended in a special vote on Monday as police investigate the accusations against him

The Republican party of Florida ousted Christian Ziegler, their chairman, in a special vote on Monday as police investigate a rape accusation against him, a vote that came the week before the governor, Ron DeSantis, competes in Iowa's first-in-the-nation presidential caucus.

The party suspended Ziegler last month and demanded his resignation, saying he could not effectively lead during a critical election year with the allegations, which Ziegler denies, swirling around him. DeSantis, US senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, and other Republican leaders have called on Ziegler to step down, but he has refused.