Florida State Rep. Fabian Basabe, R-Miami Beach, at the Florida State Capitol on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in Tallahassee.
Photo by Matias J. Ocner
mocner@miamiherald.com
Miami Beach Republican state Rep. Fabian Basabe should resign.
Two weeks ago, a Florida jury found Basabe liable in a civil case involving sexual harassment, battery and defamation claims by two former legislative staffers. Basabe, who is not a lawyer, represented himself. He was ordered to pay $450,000 in damages to the men.
For most elected officials, that verdict would immediately raise serious questions about their fitness to serve. In Basabe’s case, there aren’t even any questions about what he should do, because he already told his constituents. He said — on video — that he’d resign if the allegations were proven true.
In a 2024 video posted to YouTube when the accusations first came out, Basabe denied them and made his constituents a promise. “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,” he said. He said it was a verbal contract.
He added, “This is the faith I have in our justice system.”
That was the standard Basabe laid out for himself. Now it’s time for him to make good on his promise. A jury found him liable for abuse he inflicted on two staffers who worked for him. They trusted him, and he abused that authority — the same authority his constituents have entrusted him with.
This was a civil case, so he wasn’t found guilty or not guilty. But he was found liable, meaning he was responsible for damages caused by his conduct. And his conduct was unacceptable. He shouldn’t be the person representing House District 106, which runs from Miami Beach north to Aventura.
I’m not the only one telling him to step down. A majority of the Miami Beach commission are also calling for Basabe’s resignation, according to Florida Politics. Commissioner David Suarez told Florida Politics “seems like a no-brainer.” Commissioner Alex Fernandez said “..he should resign immediately, and Election Day can’t come soon enough.”
Basabe, who is continuing to run for reelection in November, apparently plans to appeal. The Miami Herald reported that he’s hired Deerfield Beach-based attorney Peter Ticktin to challenge the judgment. Ticktin isn’t just any lawyer; he’s a childhood friend of Donald Trump and has urged the president to declare a national emergency to take more control of elections.
In a text to the Herald, Basabe said, “My district knows who I am, what we’ve built together, and that I will continue serving them while this legal process moves forward.”
That’s not the promise he made to voters in 2024. He didn’t promise that he would exhaust all legal avenues; he said he’d resign if the allegations were proven true, and he would be held accountable.
Holding public office should mean you expect to be held to a high standard. Why hasn’t Basabe resigned? The answer seems to be because it would be electorally inconvenient.
Trump won Basabe’s district by nine points in 2024. Now Basabe seems to be betting that party loyalty will carry him through the election despite this serious and disturbing verdict.
It has already cost him endorsements. Elected officials from both parties have pulled their backing including Surfside Commissioner Ruben Coto, Bal Harbour Council Member Buzzy Sklar, Sunny Isles Beach Vice Mayor Jennifer Viscarra, Democratic state Rep. Jose Alvarez and Vice Mayor of Bay Harbor Islands Stephanie Bruder.
By remaining in office and on the ballot, Basabe has become an unnecessary liability for the GOP. Every week Basabe stays in the race is another week Miami-Dade Republican candidates will have to answer for him instead of making their own case to voters. That’s a distraction the party doesn’t need — and one Basabe has the power to end.
But the larger issue is accountability. Basabe asked his constituents to trust his word. He needs to remember that.
For the good of voters in District 106 and the credibility of the Republican Party, Basabe should do what he promised — resign. The sooner, the better.
Mary Anna Mancuso is a member of the Miami Herald Editorial Board. Her email: mmancuso@miamiherald.com