A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE AND REPUBLICAN ACCUSED OF SEXUAL HARRASSMENT

 

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A Florida House member, Rep Fabian Basabe, has been accused by his two former staffs of sexual harassment.

The complaint, which was filed on Thursday, the House member  allegedly slapped 25-year-old Nicolas Frevola, a former legislative aide, from behind at an elementary school career day event in December 2022 and said, “I want ALL of that butt!” This incident happened without consent and in a room full of children, the lawsuit states.

The complaint also details another incident in January at an event following Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ inauguration. During the event, Mr Basabe was “drinking an excessive amount of alcohol,” the complaint continues, before asking Mr Frevola an “inappropriate” question, which elevated to the elected official slapping Mr Frevola across the face.

Mr Basabe forced the aide to sign an NDA, the lawsuit says.

The second former staffer, 24-year-old former intern Jacob Cutbirth, accused Mr Basabe “began to physically touch and grope him and to grab at him to try to kiss him” before he started working for the state representative.

Once hired, Basabe told the intern “that he needed to flirt with him” in the office, the lawsuit said, and told Mr Cutbirth that he was required to sign an NDA — which he signed. The Florida Republican also urged the intern on several occasions to break up with his girlfriend to explore “having sex with men,” according to the lawsuit.

Mr Cutbirth also claimed that Mr Basabe asked if he had a “big d***.” Fed up, the intern quit after six weeks on the job.

An investigation, conducted by an outside law firm hired by House Speaker Paul Renner, into Mr Frevola’s complaint found that there was physical contact between the two men in December, but remained “inconclusive” regarding Mr Basabe slapping his aide’s face. 

Mr Basabe tweeted on 29 June about the investigation’s findings, saying it concluded “rightly in my favor.”

He has not commented on the staffers’ suit. Mr Basabe’s lawyers called the lawsuit “frivolous and meritless” to CBS on Thursday.

Mr Frevola is suing for Mr Basabe defamation and battery, while Mr Cutbirth is suing Mr Basabe for battery. The former staffs are demanding a trial by jury for the sexual harassment committed by Mr Basabe.

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