Now SECOND Georgia Democrat accused of COVID fraud

Now a second Democrat lawmaker in Georgia has been accused of COVID fraud.

It is now-former Rep. Karen Bennett of Stone Mountain, who dropped out of the legislature just days ago, who is charged with taking advantage of a program meant for people who lost their jobs during the pandemic.

A report at the Georgia Recorder explains she was charged with fraudulently receiving nearly $14,000 in unemployment benefits intended for those who lost their jobs during COVID-19.

She then resigned her seat.

Her fellow Democrat legislator, Covington Rep. Sharon Henderson, was arrested on similar charges only weeks ago. And authorities say other investigations continue.

Bennett’s charges focus on her work for Metro Therapy Providers, and a federal court filing says in May 2020, she sought federal pandemic relief funds listing the general assembly and Metro Therapy as employers.

She “stated in her application for pandemic unemployment relief that her job included providing in-home physical therapy services and that she was unable to perform her job because of pandemic guidelines,” the report explains.

But prosecutors charge that those claims were lies.

They charge, in court, “Before the pandemic her actual role with Metro Therapy was an administrative one and she worked from her home office; she did not provide in-home services for clients. She was not prohibited from reaching her home office because of the pandemic. She was able to continue working as usual from her home to support Metro Therapy throughout the pandemic, and the therapists who provided actual services to clients were able to continue their work after a brief disruption.”

Further, prosecutors charge she failed to disclose she had additional income of $905 each week from “employment through a church.”

She has pleaded not guilty and was released on bond, then submitted a letter to Gov. Brian Kemp quitting the legislature.

She did not give a reason.

Henderson was charged with collecting more than $17,000 in undeserved pandemic unemployment benefits but has not resigned from the legislature.