Florida Republican Lawmaker Behind 'Don't Say Gay' Bill Resigns After Indictment for COVID Relief Fraud, Money Laundering

Florida Republican Representative Joe Harding was indicted on charges of defrauding a federal coronavirus loan program for small businesses. The 35-year-old lawmaker is best known for sponsoring Florida's controversial "Don't Say Gay" bill.

According to federal prosecutors, Harding obtained more than $150,000 from the Small Business Administration (SBA) in pandemic aid loans. He is currently facing multiple charges, including two counts of wire fraud, two counts of money laundering, and two counts of making false statements, the Associated Press reported.

According to CNN, the Florida lawmaker listed several dormant business entities on his applications. He also fabricated his employees' numbers and submitted fake bank statements.

Harding's trial is set for January 11 in Gainesville, Florida. He could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of wire fraud and a maximum of 10 years for money laundering, and five years for making false statements charges.

Florida Republican Lawmaker Joe Harding Resigns After Indictment

The Republican congressman pleaded "not guilty" during an initial court appearance on Wednesday. He told the New York Times: "I want the public and my constituents to know that I fully repaid the loan and cooperated with investigators as requested."

However, he later resigned after his indictment was unsealed, revealing that he defrauded a federal pandemic-related small business loan program.

He released a statement announcing his resignation and explaining why he resigned. He noted that he believes in Floridians and wants what is best for them. He said he believes that Florida's leaders "need not be encumbered by distractions that are mine alone."

Politico reported that his resignation is effective immediately and that he is no longer part of the Florida House of Representatives.

Harding was previously temporarily removed from his committee assignments in the Legislature by the speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, Paul Renner.

Harding was jailed after his indictment but released on bond shortly after his preliminary hearing. Because his charges do not seem to be involved with Congress, Renner noted that he will not further comment on the matter.

Florida Republican Joe Harding and the 'Don't Say Gay' Bill

Joe Harding received national prominence when he sponsored and passed the controversial "Don't Say Gay" bill, which later became law after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed it in March.

The bill sparked widespread protests across Florida as many say it curtails freedom of speech. Officially known as the "Parental Rights in Education" law, it is a controversial legislation that banned teachers from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity in the classroom. It set off a national firestorm and had an immediate response from the LGBTQ community.

The bill also bans material not deemed age-appropriate, leading to many children's books tackling gender identity being banned across the state.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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