A Republican lawmaker in Florida who backed the state’s arguable regulation referred to as the “Don’t Say Homosexual” invoice was once indicted Wednesday on fees of defrauding the federal government of coronavirus reduction loans.
Federal prosecutors allege state Rep. Joe Harding illegally got or attempted to procure greater than $150,000 in federal loans intended for small companies all over the COVID-19 pandemic. Harding, who was once elected in 2020, was once charged with the use of two dormant company entities to use for the budget, filling out fraudulent programs.
In his software, prosecutors stated Harding claimed considered one of his companies had greater than $400,000 in income and 4 staff within the months previous to the pandemic. The corporate has in reality been dormant for 3 years, without a income or no staff.
The indictment additionally alleges Harding created false financial institution statements to fortify his programs.
He faces six counts, together with twine fraud, making false statements and cash laundering. Harding has pleaded no longer to blame and was once launched on bond ahead of a scheduled trial on Jan. 11.
“I would like the general public and my constituents to grasp that I totally repaid the mortgage and cooperated with investigators as asked,” he instructed The Related Press in a observation.
Harding backed the “Don’t Say Homosexual” invoice previous this 12 months, which sparked national outrage ahead of Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed the invoice into legislation in March. The regulation successfully forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender id in lots of basic faculty study rooms, permitting folks to sue faculty districts as a way to implement it.
Civil rights teams have roundly criticized the legislation as homophobic, discriminatory and hateful. Analysis has already proven a surge in anti-LGBTQ hate for the reason that legislation handed.