Miami Beach Lawmaker Faces Calls to Resign After Jury Finds Him Liable for Sexual Harassment

A Miami Beach state legislator who promised voters he would resign if sexual harassment allegations against him proved true is facing calls to step down after a civil jury found him liable — but he remains in office with no public indication that Florida House leadership will intervene.

On Wednesday evening, a Leon County jury found Republican state Rep. Fabian Basabe liable for sexual harassment, battery, and defamation in a civil case brought by two of his former legislative staffers. The jury awarded the staffers $450,000 in damages. Despite a 2024 video pledge to resign "on the spot" if allegations against him were ever proven true, Basabe has not stepped down, and Florida House leadership has not responded to questions about potential disciplinary action.

What's happening

The civil verdict came after a three-day trial in Leon County during which Basabe represented himself without an attorney. According to court proceedings, the lawmaker repeatedly violated legal procedures and judicial orders during the trial. The case was brought by two former legislative staffers who accused Basabe of sexual harassment while they worked in his office.

In 2024, Basabe posted a video to his YouTube channel in which he stated: "This video message is my verbal contract to you. Not just you, but also my family, my friends and my entire community. Should any of these allegations ever prove true against me at any point in the future, I would resign on the spot and be held accountable."

The office of Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez did not respond to multiple requests for comment. A spokesperson for Republican state Rep. Sam Garrison, who chairs the House Rules & Ethics Committee and is the incoming House speaker, referred questions to Perez's office. Basabe has not been charged criminally in connection with the allegations, which he continues to deny. An external investigation conducted on behalf of the House ended in an "inconclusive" finding.

Basabe, who is running for re-election, was first elected in 2022 by a 240-vote margin in a traditionally Democratic-leaning area. He helped flip Miami-Dade County red and hand Florida Republicans a supermajority in the House.

What this means for the Florida Legislature

The verdict and Basabe's decision to remain in office despite his public pledge raise questions about accountability mechanisms in the Florida Legislature and what recourse exists when elected officials face civil liability for workplace misconduct.

State Rep. Mike Gottlieb, the top Democrat on the House Rules & Ethics Committee, said Basabe's actions "cast a shadow over the entire House." Gottlieb called for Basabe to resign and said the lawmaker's activities "should be reviewed" by the ethics committee. "His tenure in the House has been plagued in controversy surrounding his behavior since his first year. He's not an asset as a member and should resign from office," Gottlieb said.

The Florida House's own rules state that elected officials must "respect and comply with the law" and that the House "shall be free from unlawful employment discrimination," which includes sexual harassment. If members violate the rules, the House has several options available, ranging from investigations to reprimands to impeachment. The rules list sexual harassment as impeachable conduct.

Just two months ago, the House Rules & Ethics Committee took the rare step of formally reprimanding Democratic state Rep. Angie Nixon for blaring a bullhorn on the House floor during livestreamed deliberations. At the time, Speaker-Designate Garrison said: "When the choice is protecting the House and doing something unpleasant that I'd rather not deal with, my responsibility as chair is to protect the House. Protect this institution. Every time."

Potential liability for the House itself

The Florida House could face its own legal exposure related to Basabe's conduct. His former staffers have filed a separate lawsuit alleging the House mishandled the investigation into the lawmaker's actions. Such institutional liability has precedent in the Florida Legislature: in 2018, the Florida Senate agreed to pay $900,000 to settle a complaint brought by a high-ranking legislative aide who alleged sexual misconduct by a state senator.

The separate case against the House highlights how workplace harassment by elected officials can create financial and legal consequences for the legislative body itself, not just for individual members. Florida legislative rules require the House to maintain a workplace free from unlawful discrimination and harassment, and employers can be held liable for failing to adequately address such conduct when it occurs.

Basabe's accusers are scheduled to appear before a judge next week in their ongoing case against the House. The outcome of that litigation could determine whether taxpayers will be on the hook for a settlement or judgment related to the lawmaker's actions.

Political implications in a swing district

Basabe represents House District 106, which covers Miami Beach and portions of Miami-Dade County. The district has traditionally leaned Democratic, making Basabe's 2022 victory by just 240 votes part of a broader Republican sweep in Miami-Dade that helped secure the party's supermajority in the Florida House.

The lawmaker is running for re-election despite the civil verdict and a history of controversy. In 2024, he won re-election after the Miami Herald published an account from a man who accused Basabe of drugging and raping him in 2003. Basabe, a one-time reality television figure known for partying with celebrities before running for office, has been dogged by scandal throughout his tenure but has survived each controversy at the ballot box.

The verdict comes at a time when workplace harassment and accountability for elected officials remain politically salient issues. How House leadership responds — or declines to respond — to a jury finding one of its members liable for sexual harassment of staff could set a precedent for how similar allegations are handled in the future.

What happens next

The House Rules & Ethics Committee, chaired by Speaker-Designate Garrison, has the authority to investigate the verdict and impose discipline ranging from a reprimand to a recommendation for impeachment. The full House would need to vote on any impeachment proceedings. As of now, there is no public indication that such a process has been initiated.

Basabe's former staffers are scheduled to appear in court next week in their separate lawsuit against the Florida House. That case will proceed regardless of any action the House takes regarding Basabe's status as a member.

Basabe told The Tributary in a written statement: "I chose to defend myself because I am still naïve enough to believe that truth matters, that an ordinary citizen can stand in court, defend himself, and be judged on the facts. This is a difficult time for me and my family, but their confidence in who I am has not changed. Neither has my determination."

The case underscores broader tensions in Florida's capital as the state's rapid growth and shifting political landscape bring new scrutiny to how Tallahassee handles allegations of misconduct by elected officials. With Basabe remaining in office despite the verdict and his prior pledge, the coming weeks will test whether Florida's legislative leadership takes action to enforce its own workplace conduct standards — and what precedent that sets for accountability in the state Capitol.