Florida Republicans Strip Powers of Embattled Party Chairman

The embattled chairman of the Republican Party of Florida was censured and stripped of his duties and salary on Sunday, decisions that all but ousted him from the party’s top post as he faces a criminal investigation into an accusation that he sexually assaulted a woman.

In an emergency meeting in Orlando, Fla., the party’s executive committee stopped short of immediately forcing out Christian Ziegler, the chairman. But the votes to declare him unfit for office, remove almost all of his authority and reduce his salary to $1 were seen among many party members as the final steps before his potential removal from office.

Mr. Ziegler, 40, has been under criminal investigation in Sarasota, Fla., where he lives, since October, when a woman told the police that he had sexually assaulted her. He has not been charged and has denied any wrongdoing. He has also refused to resign since the investigation became public last month, despite sustained pressure from Republicans, ranging from the governor to county-level chairs, for him to step down.

Mr. Ziegler attended the private meeting of the party’s 40 executive committee members, apologizing to them for the situation but arguing that holding Sunday’s meeting was improper. The votes against him, however, were unanimous.

“This is about the black eye that it’s put on the party,” State Representative Michelle Salzman said after the meeting.

Mr. Ziegler did not speak to reporters waiting outside the conference room.

Evan Power, the state party’s vice chairman, who for now will carry out most of the chairman’s duties, said that members considered the criminal investigation against Mr. Ziegler serious and a distraction that would make it untenable for him to raise funds and rally the party going into an important presidential election year.