Sarasota Police release recording of Bridget Ziegler interview in rape investigation

Sarasota Police released an audio recording and transcript Friday of the interview they conducted with Sarasota County School Board member Bridget Ziegler while investigating a sexual assault allegation against her husband, former Florida GOP Chair Christian Ziegler.

Police interviewed Bridget Ziegler on Nov. 1. They have since opted not to charge Christian Ziegler with sexual assault, saying a video he took of the incident "showed that the encounter was likely consensual."

The details of the interview have previously been reported. Police earlier released a summary of Ziegler's comments with some of the words she used, but the transcript and recording provide a full accounting of what she said.

Transcript of the Sarasota Police interview with Bridget Ziegler

Told by a detective that police were looking into "an allegation of sexual assault by your husband," Ziegler responds "Okay."

"Does this shock you?" the detective continues.

"A sexual assault? 100%" Ziegler responds.

"Would it shock you to know that he might be in a relationship with her, or has had a relationship with her?" the detective asks.

"I don't know that a relationship but if there were any extramarital things, it wouldn't blow my mind of surprise," Ziegler said.

Ziegler goes on to confirm that she had a three-way sexual encounter with the alleged victim and her husband in the past, and says that's "not normally my thing."

Ziegler tells detectives in the interview that she was not planning to have a sexual encounter with the alleged victim and her husband on the night of the alleged assault, despite testimony from the alleged victim and text messages indicating Ziegler's husband said his wife would be involved.

"Has there been any talk of the three of you getting together again?" a detective asks Ziegler.

"No," she responds.

Ziegler asks the detective "how recent" the allegation was against her husband.

"It happened on October 2nd," the detective responds.

"Oh, that surprises me," Ziegler responds.

"How so?" the detective asks.

"I feel like I would know about it," Ziegler says.

Ziegler asked the detectives if the alleged victim is "okay."

Before that, though, she wanted to know "how public does this become?" Ziegler notes that she lives a "very public life."

Ziegler has resisted calls to step down from the School Board. Her husband was removed as Florida GOP chair. State Attorney Ed Brodsky's office is still weighing whether to charge Christian Ziegler with video voyeurism in a related investigation.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota Police release audio in Christian Ziegler rape investigation