VIDEO: George Santos Sends Words of Encouragement to Florida Rep. Fabián Basabe

Expelled Republican congressman George Santos has some advice for Miami Beach's embattled state representative Fabián Basabe, whose critics have dubbed him the "George Santos of Florida."

"Hey Fabián, I want to tell you hang in there and keep fighting," the former congressman said in a new Cameo video. "It's not easy being a gay Republican who supports Trump and conservative values. We can't let the liberal media win. We need you to fight and win. Stay strong man."

Santos, who was removed from office on December 1 after a scathing ethics report found he misused campaign funds for Botox, OnlyFans, and luxury purchases, has since turned to the celebrity video platform as a way to make ends meet.

As Semafor reported, the former congressman is now earning six figures from the venture by charging as much as $400 for a video. Clips of Santos cheering up indicted Sen. Bob Menendez and singing snippets of Taylor Swift's hit "I Knew You Were Trouble" have taken social media by storm.

One Miami Beach resident tells New Times he decided to join in on the fun and troll the "George Santos of Florida" by hiring Santos himself, coughing up $200 for a short video "because of the obvious parallels between these two fabulous New Yorkers."

"One of these conmen is out of office and the other will be soon," adds the resident, a longtime critic of Basabe.
While Basabe has not been accused of fabricating his life history out of thin air as Santos did, his first year in office might rival Santos' brief congressional stint in terms of backlash and unbridled ire from constituents.

Leading up to the 2022 election for the Florida House of Representatives District 106 seat, Basabe was criticized for his antics dating back to his days as a reality TV star. He told New Times he had since grown up and was a dedicated family man to his wife, La Perla lingerie heiress Martina Borgomanero, and young son.

On the campaign trail, Basabe ran as a moderate Republican who vowed to support gay rights and abortion access. But since arriving in Tallahassee, Basabe has faced calls to resign from constituents who say he turned his back on the LGBTQ community by voting in line with Governor DeSantis' culture-war agenda.

In his first legislative session, the man once nicknamed the "male Paris Hilton" supported legislation that targeted drag-queen performances and prohibited transgender people from entering public restrooms that do not match their sex assigned at birth. He also voted in favor of HB 1069, the so-called "Don't Say Gay" expansion law, which widened Florida's ban on classroom discussion about sexual orientation and gender identity and barred public school employees from asking students their preferred personal pronouns.

The socialite turned politician, who came out as gay during a 2021 Florida LGBTQ Democratic Caucus event, skipped out on voting on the state's six-week abortion ban and instead blamed the Democrats for their unwillingness to compromise over the issue.

When he returned from Tallahassee and participated in the Miami Beach Pride Parade in April, he was greeted by a booing crowd as he waved merrily while sitting in a red convertible. That weekend, protesters called for his resignation, dubbed him the "George Santos of Florida," and held signs that declared, "Betrayed."

The controversy swirling around Basabe has extended well beyond his voting record and constituents' claims of flip-flopping.

Last spring, he found himself under investigation for allegedly slapping his 25-year-old aide across the face at a reception in Tallahassee. Following a two-month probe, a law firm hired by the Florida House said it could not verify the allegation, though it noted there was physical contact and an apparent conflict between the two men.

In a lawsuit filed in Leon County Circuit Court, the aide and another onetime staffer then accused Basabe of sexual harassment and making unwanted, repeated sexual advances. As reported by CBS News Miami, a subsequent Florida House investigation did not find evidence that Basabe harassed the two men, violated statehouse policies, or broke any laws.

"That said, Representative Basabe likely should exercise better judgment regarding observing the delicate margin between the personal and the professional with his subordinates (and their friends) in the future," the investigator wrote.

Basabe's cousin is currently suing him for allegedly failing to uphold his end of a deal to import and sell vintage Land Rovers.

"These cockroaches will continue to creep through the cracks," Basabe told New Times when asked about the lawsuit.