Kemp suspends Georgia lawmaker charged with pandemic relief fraud

Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 7:57 PM

Gov. Brian Kemp has suspended from office a Democratic lawmaker charged with unemployment fraud in connection with COVID-19 pandemic relief. Kemp, a Republican, announced Thursday that Rep. Sharon Henderson would be suspended from office until her case is resolved or her term ends. All members of the Legislature are up for re-election in November. Last […]

Rep. Sharon Henderson on the first day of the 2026 Legislative session. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder

Gov. Brian Kemp has suspended from office a Democratic lawmaker charged with unemployment fraud in connection with COVID-19 pandemic relief.

Kemp, a Republican, announced Thursday that Rep. Sharon Henderson would be suspended from office until her case is resolved or her term ends. All members of the Legislature are up for re-election in November.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice charged Henderson, a Covington Democrat, with fraudulently collecting $17,811 in unemployment benefits from a federal program meant to support people who lost their jobs during the pandemic.

Prosecutors said Henderson applied for the program in 2020 when she was a House candidate, falsely claiming that she had been an employee of the Henry County School District in 2019 and 2020, and was laid off due to the pandemic. The Justice Department alleges that Henderson had only spent five days working for Henry County Schools as a substitute teacher in 2018 and was not eligible for unemployment benefits.

Kemp’s announcement came after a panel consisting of Attorney General Chris Carr, House Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones and Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones issued a report finding that Henderson’s indictment adversely affects the public.

Henderson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley declined to comment Thursday.

In a statement, Henderson’s attorney, Gerald Griggs, vowed to continue fighting.

“We respectfully disagree with the Governor’s decision and will continue to litigate this matter in a courtroom,” Griggs said.

Earlier this month former state Rep. Karen Bennett of Stone Mountain resigned her seat days before authorities charged her with allegedly defrauding the same program. She pleaded guilty Wednesday to making false statements to obtain the aid, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Northern District of Georgia.

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