Nikki Fried calls for Rep. Fabian Basabe to resign amid sexual harassment allegations from two former staffers
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried issued a statement calling for Rep. Fabian Basabe, R-Miami Beach, to resign after a lawsuit was filed by two of his former staffers alleging sexual harassment.
A lawsuit was reportedly filed June 6 by a former aide and a former intern. The staffers alleged that Basabe “repeatedly talked about sex with them and showed them a photo of a naked man on his phone.”
“The actions detailed in this lawsuit are both shocking and vile. If true, both Rep. Basabe and House Leadership owe restitution to these staffers and an apology to the people of Florida. As a society, we should have zero tolerance for sexual harassment directed towards any person of any gender,” Fried said.
“The moment the first allegations against Basabe were made, the Republican House Majority Office should have acted swiftly,” Fried said.
Fried said staffers were “left in situations where an alleged predator could continue to harass and assault them.”
Republican House Speaker Paul Renner’s, R-Palm Coast, office reportedly acknowledged receiving a complaint about Basabe and said that an “outside lawyer will investigate the claims,” according to AP News.
Basabe’s lawyer, Robert Fernandez, issued a statement to CBS on behalf of the lawmaker.
Fernandez said 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 […] In the meantime, Representative Basabe will continue to focus on the issues important to the citizens of Florida,” Fernandez said.
Fried said if Basabe does not resign, the House of Representatives should “expel him.”
“In light of these allegations, Fabian Basabe could no longer be entrusted with public service, and the Florida Democratic Party calls for his immediate resignation. If he chooses not to resign, we demand that the Florida House of Representatives follow their own ethics rules and expel him from their membership,” Fried said.
