DeSantis appointee Bridget Ziegler appears at today's Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board meeting amid criminal investigation

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Bridget Ziegler at January 24, 2024 Central Florida Tourism Oversight District meeting

Posted: Wednesday January 24, 2024 9:54am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

A smiling Bridget Ziegler appeared in person at today's Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board of Supervisors meeting for the first time since police began a criminal investigation into her husband, Christian Ziegler.

Bridget Ziegler at January 24, 2024 Central Florida Tourism Oversight District meeting

Ziegler, the author of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill, crusades against the LGBTQ+ community but allegedly told police as part of the investigation into her husband Christian Ziegler that she had relations with a woman alongside her husband.

Appointed to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District in February 2023 as one of the founding members, her inclusion appeared to many as DeSantis doubling down on his punishment of Disney for its opposition to the bill authored by Ziegler.

Opposition to Christian Ziegler and Bridget Ziegler continuing in Florida's politics is mounting, and it remains to be seen if her position at CFTOD will be vacated. The Republican Party of Florida ousted Christian Ziegler earlier this month as police investigated allegations against him. The Sarasota County School Board, of which Bridget Ziegler is a member, voted 4-1 in late December for a resolution requesting that she step down. Ziegler has refused to leave the school board.

DeSantis' CFTOD, which replaced Disney's Reedy Creek Improvement District, has already seen one of its board members leave. Michael Sasso resigned in May from his board position after less than four months in the job.

Reedy Creek Improvement District overview

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peter114357 days ago

No. But it’s the start of the process

MR.Dis7 days ago

Does this mean a new agreement has been reached with Disney? I am trying to read between the lines on just what this is saying.

flyakite7 days ago

castlecake2.020 days ago

Yes

Stripes20 days ago

Has Disney/CFTOD continued to replace the purple direction signage with the new blue color scheme since CFTOD took over?

mkt20 days ago

You're right. The new document will be different. It will be "different" in the way that Chris Gaines was "different" from Garth Brooks or how the drummer from Nirvana is "different" from the singer of the Foo Fighters.

Unbanshee20 days ago

Both are effectively picked by the Governor, just not technically. Look no further than the communications "strategy" with the replacement of Gilzean of the Governor's office getting out ahead of every single step of the process

lazyboy97o21 days ago

The settlement acknowledged the “need” to change the comprehensive plan, which undermines this idea. So too does the lack of an agreement, as the 2032 Comprehensive Plan wasn’t that different than the again in force 2020 Comprehensive Plan.

Brian21 days ago

That's understandable for sure. I just felt inclined to make the distinction due to the ongoing conversation, as the district administrator is selected by the board, while the board is selected by the governor.

mkt21 days ago

The new agreement will be functionally the same as the one Disney was sued over.

pdude8121 days ago

You're right. This has been going on so long I just lumped all the antagonists together.

Brian21 days ago

Not to nitpick, but Gilzean was district administrator, not a board member.

pdude8121 days ago

A bigger risk than keeping Garcia and Gilzean on the board as active disruptors? I don't agree with their decision to stall the federal lawsuit, but I understand why they saw the status quo as a risk to growth over the next few years.