Lawsuit in Florida claims Republican lawmaker sexually harassed aide and intern

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A Florida lawmaker was accused of sexual harassment in a lawsuit filed Thursday by a former aide and a former intern, a Miami newspaper and television station reported.

The two staffers said Republican Rep. Fabian Basabe repeatedly talked about sex with them and showed them a photo of a naked man on his phone. The aide said Basabe “slapped” him from behind while the two were in the back of a full elementary school classroom and said, “I want all of that.”

The intern said Basabe advised him to break off his engagement with his girlfriend and explore sex with men. The suit claims Basabe also groped and tried to kiss the intern when the staffer drove him to a hotel after a night of drinking. The lawsuits were filed as CBS affiliate WFOR-Miami and the Miami Herald were investigating Basabe's behavior.

Republican House Speaker Paul Renner's office acknowledged receiving a sexual harassment complaint about Basabe and said that an outside lawyer will investigate the claims.

“The Florida House has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual harassment,” Renner's office said in an emailed statement. “Every employee of the Florida House is provided a copy of the administrative policy manual which outlines how to report allegations of sexual harassment with Florida House staff and leadership.”

Basabe’s lawyer, Robert Fernandez, said the lawmaker wouldn't comment on the suit.

"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,” Fernandez said in a statement to CBS.