LEON COUNTY, Fla. — Opening statements began Monday in the civil trial for South Florida lawmaker Fabian Basabe.
Basabe is a Republican in the Florida state House of Representatives based in Miami Beach, but he is being sued by two former employees, a legislative aid and an intern.
Both men say they were victims of sexual harassment, battery and defamation at the hands of Basabe.
The lawsuit was first filed about three years ago but is now making its way in front of a jury.
Basabe, who is up for re-election later this year, is actually representing himself during the trial, moving forward without a lawyer.
There was also witness testimony Monday, which was tense at times as a former legislative aide was questioned by the very man accused of sexually assaulting him.
“Did you notice any oversized children who may have obstructed anyone’s view from the front of the classroom?” Basabe asked.
“I don’t know Mr. Basabe, like I said before, I was more shocked and frozen that you slapped my buttocks in a room full of children,” replied former legislative aid Nicholas Frevola.
At one point, Basabe asked Frevola to demonstrate how he was slapped on the backside.
Another man, Basabe’s former intern, alleges unsolicited sexual advances from the state lawmaker as he drove his boss home.
“He was in the passenger seat, and it started off with him getting his face close to my neck and whispering in my ear,” said former intern Jacob Cuthbirth. “And he put his hand on my thigh and he made comments about sex with men, and was, as I said previously, he did seem pretty drunk. I told him that I’m happily engaged.”
Basabe has long denied the allegations, pointing to a pair of prior investigations brought on by the Florida House of Representatives to look into the claims, both of which were dismissed after findings of no wrongdoing.
The victims have also sued the Florida House of Representatives.
A stream of a portion of Monday’s hearing can be seen below:
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