Kemp suspends Georgia lawmaker over unemployment fraud charges

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp suspended state Rep. Sharon Henderson from office Thursday following her indictment on federal unemployment fraud charges. A state review commission found that the charges against the Democratic legislator hurt her ability to perform her duties, and Kemp accepted that determination.

The Charges

Henderson faces charges of theft of government funds and making false statements. Prosecutors allege she illegally collected $17,811 in pandemic unemployment benefits.

According to prosecutors, Henderson falsely claimed benefits in 2019 as a laid-off substitute teacher, despite not having worked for the Henry County school system since 2018. Her substitute teacher contract included an acknowledgment that substitute teachers are not entitled to unemployment benefits. Prosecutors say she falsely claimed she worked for the school system in 2019 and 2020 while seeking benefits in 2020 and 2021.

Henderson took office in House District 113 in January 2021. She has pleaded not guilty and is free on bail.

Defense Statement

“We look forward to litigating this matter in court,” Henderson’s lawyer Gerald Griggs wrote. “In America, every individual is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”

A Second Case

Henderson is one of at least two Georgia state legislators charged with collecting pandemic unemployment benefits fraudulently. Former state Rep. Karen Bennett pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of making false statements to collect unemployment benefits.

Prosecutors say Bennett collected $13,940 in unemployment benefits. Bennett’s lawyers said she will pay back $13,490, and prosecutors have agreed to seek no prison time or supervised release for Bennett. Her sentencing is scheduled for April 15.

Pandemic Benefit Programs

The federal government deployed special unemployment benefits during the pandemic through state unemployment systems to aid people who lost jobs because of COVID-19. As with regular unemployment benefits, applicants had to certify weekly that they remained unemployed to claim benefits.