Republican Florida Representative Fabián Basabe has been sued for allegedly sexually harassing two employees, including one staffer who accused him of groping him during a tour at an elementary school, but is maintaining his innocence, calling the claimants "ridiculous."
The lawsuit was filed in Leon County Circuit Court on Thursday by Nicolas Frevola, Basabe's legislative aide, and Jacob Cutbirth, who worked as an unpaid intern at the Republican's office.
Frevola, 25, alleged in the lawsuit, which was obtained by Newsweek, that he was visiting North Beach Elementary for Career Day with Basabe and was standing in the back of a classroom full of children when the state Representative allegedly told him, "I want all of that butt" and smacked his buttocks.
Attorneys said that Frevola found Basabe's action "offensive, and which was without his consent." The aide experienced another confrontation with the Republican in January when Basabe drank an "excessive amount of alcohol" at a social gathering and allegedly approached Frevola to ask him if the woman standing next to him was the same woman Frevola had "slept with" before.
"When [Frevola], who was shocked by this inappropriate question, replied, No,' as did [the woman he was standing with], Besabe became angry with [Frevola] and stated, 'Oh, so you're cheating,' and then Basabe struck [Frevola] across the face with his (Basabe's) hand," the attorneys said the lawsuit.
The lawyers said that Frevola was "wrongfully forced" to sign an NDA, banning him from reporting the incident to party leadership.
Meanwhile, Cutbirth, 24, was told that he needed to sign an NDA, which he did believing that it is required to begin his internship.
"As examples of the offensive and pervasive sexual harassment that Basabe continued to impose upon Cutbirth, on or about February 7, 2023, while in the company of others, Basabe stated that Cutbirth was 'eye candy,'" the lawsuit read.
Basabe, who narrowly won the 2022 midterm election, also told Cutbirth "on several occasions" that he shouldn't marry his female fiancée because the marriage "would never last" and that the intern should "explore his sexuality by having sex with men."
He also allegedly told Cutbirth that he needed to flirt with him while he was in office. The Republican was also accused of showing a photo of a naked man on his phone to Cutbirth and Frevola.
House Speaker Paul Renner denounced Basabe's alleged actions in an issued statement, saying that the Florida House has a "zero-tolerance policy" when it comes to sexual harassment, CBS News reported, and "we will investigate the matter promptly, impartially, and in as confidential a manner as possible."
Basabe denied the accusations and called the claims by the two men "ridiculous," according to CBS News. He also mentioned that Frevola previously accused him of slapping him across the face and that a probe was launched into the matter, but Renner "cleared" him.
Robert Fernandez, Basabe's attorney, said in a statement, according to CBS News, that his office is currently reviewing the Thursday complaint and that "Representative Basabe will not be litigating this frivolous and meritless lawsuit in the media or giving it any more public attention than it deserves—which is none.
"Representative Basabe looks forward to defending himself in court and we believe he will be fully vindicated once these allegations are scrutinized under the rule of law," Fernandez added. "In the meantime, Representative Basabe will continue to focus on the issues important to the citizens of Florida."
Newsweek reached out by phone to Representative Fabian Basabe's office for comment.
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Fatma Khaled is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in New York City. Her focus is reporting on U.S. politics, world ... Read more
