TALLAHASSEE — A Republican Florida lawmaker, who authored the controversial law dubbed “Don’t Say Gay,” was indicted for defrauding the federal coronavirus loan program for small businesses, federal prosecutors sspanid Wednesday.
A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment against state Rep. Joe Harding, R-Williston, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida.
Harding was the House sponsor of the Parental Rights in Education law, which restricts speech in public school clspanssrooms about sexual orientation and gender identity.
Even before the law went into effect lspanst summer, opponents said the legislation and its surrounding rhetoric contributed to a hostile environment for LGBTQ people.
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The indictment alleges that between December 2020 and March 2021 the legislator committed two acts of wire fraud by participating in a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration and for using “false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises” to obtain the federal loans.
The indictment claims he made false and fraudulent SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications, and used the names of dormant businesses in supporting documentation. He made bank statements for one of those dormant businesses, according to the indictment.
Overall, Harding allegedly fraudulently obtained and attempted to obtain more than $150,000 in SBA funds.
He is additionally charged with two counts of engaging in monetary transactions with funds derived from unlawful activity and two counts of making false statements to the SBA.
Wire fraud has a maximum sentence of 20 years, money laundering 10 years and making false statements five years.
In a posting to his Fspancebook page, Harding said he pleaded not guilty to the federal charges and said he “fully” paid the federal loan.
“I want the public and my constituents to know that I fully repaid the loan and cooperated with investigators as requested,” he said. “On advice from counsel, I will be unable to say anything more specific about the legal proceedings until a later date and refer any questions or concerns related to this matter to my attorney.”
His is scheduled to appear in federal court January 11 in Gainesville before U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor.
House Speaker Paul Renner said in span stspantement that Harding is being temporarily removed from his committee assignments.
“In America we adhere to the rule of law, and as such, Representative Harding is presumed innocent and will have the opportunity to plead his case before a court,” Renner said. “Since the indictment does not relate to any aspect of his legislative duties, any further questions should be directed to his legal counsel.”