A suspended member of the Georgia House of Representatives announced she will run for the state Senate despite being charged by the U.S. Department of Justice with COVID-19 unemployment fraud, while two of her former colleagues have already pleaded guilty to similar offenses.
Former state Reps. Dexter L. Sharper and Karen L. Bennett, along with state Rep. Sharon Henderson, D-Covington, were accused in recent months of lying on unemployment applications to collect tens of thousands of dollars in federally funded pandemic benefits.
“These charges point to some disgraceful conduct at the highest level, which should shock and repulse every citizen,” Georgia State Inspector General Nigel Lange said in a Jan. 30 statement. “The alleged activities describe a disgusting abuse by an elected official who appeared to trade integrity for money destined for those in need. Shameful.”
According to federal prosecutors, Sharper, who represented Georgia’s 177th House District from 2013 until his resignation this year, fraudulently applied for unemployment assistance from April 2020 through May 2021.
Sharper was arraigned in January before U.S. Magistrate Judge Russell G. Vineyard on charges of making false statements to obtain funds administered by the U.S. Department of Labor. He pleaded guilty in March and resigned from office the following day.
Less than three weeks after charges were filed against Sharper, Bennett, who represented Georgia’s 94th House District, pleaded guilty on Jan. 21 to federal charges of making false statements connected to $13,940 in pandemic unemployment benefits. She resigned before entering her plea.
Henderson, who has represented Georgia’s 113th House District since 2021, was indicted Dec. 2, 2025, on charges of theft of government funds and making false statements in connection with receiving $17,811 in pandemic unemployment benefits.
Unlike her colleagues, Henderson did not resign. Gov. Brian Kemp suspended her from office pending resolution of the case. Her suspension will remain in effect until either her term ends or the charges are resolved.
Henderson’s attorney, Gerald Griggs, said the representative intends to contest the charges.
“We look forward to litigating this matter in court,” Griggs wrote in a Jan. 8 text message to The Associated Press. “In America, every individual is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Prosecutors allege Henderson falsely claimed she was a laid-off substitute teacher in 2019, even though she had not held that position since 2018. Court records further state that substitute teachers were explicitly ineligible for unemployment benefits under their contracts.
Despite the pending charges, Henderson announced in early March that she is running for state Senate.
The cases echo other high-profile prosecutions involving fraud tied to pandemic-era relief programs, including that of U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who was charged by the Justice Department with allegedly stealing more than $5 million in COVID-19 disaster-relief funds and making illegal campaign contributions. If convicted, she could face up to 53 years in prison.
In March, the U.S. House Ethics Committee found Cherfilus-McCormick guilty of violating 27 House ethics rules.
She could be replaced by former Broward County Mayor Dale Holness, who recently announced his third run for Congress following the charges.
Both of Holness’ daughters have been convicted in separate COVID-19 fraud cases.
In 2024, Richelle Holness pleaded guilty to defrauding Florida’s unemployment system of $30,000. Under the plea agreement, she avoided prosecution for allegedly diverting funds from her father’s 2020 County Commission campaign, where she served as treasurer.
Two years earlier, her sister, Damara Holness, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison after fraudulently receiving $300,000 through a Paycheck Protection Program loan. Prosecutors said she falsely claimed to operate a consulting business with 18 employees, though investigators found the business had no employees.
In addition to the prison sentence, Damara Holness was ordered to repay the $300,000, serve five years of supervised release, and pay a $100 special assessment.
Pedro Boccalato Rodriguez-Aparicio is a journalism fellow at The Daily Signal. Send an email to Pedro.
Reprinted with permission from The Daily Signal by Pedro Boccalato Rdoriguez-Aparicio.
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AMAC or AMAC Action.
Dems….no conscience. No shame. No sense. No good.
these people should be IN JAIL, not running for political office.
She’s just following prescident of the democratic party.
There is a woman House member who funneled tax funds for COVID to her campaign fund! Guess which political party and which minority group she “represents.”
How could she even be allowed to run for a State political office until this matter is cleared up? What sort of guidelines and qualifications does the State have in place?
Does that mean any criminal can serve in Georgia’s Legislature?
Hmmm, pause to ponder how legit Georgia is in picking honest government employees with moral integrity.
UNBELIEVABLE!!! How do these fraudsters live with themselves!
EVERYTHING IS STARTING TO COME TO THE SURFACE. SEX, STEALING, AND MONEY LAUNDERING. SENATORS, CONGRESSMEN, AND WOMEN. TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE POSITION. Then you ask:”How do you stop this as an average person, 82 years old. have to work to supplement my SS monthly check. I also get a disability check on the last day of each month for $182.00..
Sounds to me like a big Cesspool of criminal activity, constantly! Time for the law to step it up quickly, don’t drag along for 4-6 more years, take action NOW.
So it is now up to the Republican party in GA to get the word out about these thieves and to the voters of GA to protect their state!
Why wouldn’t complete frauds run for office? So many of them are elected, then outed for the fraud they commit but are never penalized. Happening a lot in our country now. Until our elected officials start prosecuting the criminals, we are going to see even more fraudulent people in government. Just saw on Fox News that CA has a state senator who is trying to get a bill passed to prevent anyone from even investigating possible fraud there. It has some calling it the “No Nick Shirley Law”. Amazing!!
Henderson has the full support of the DamnoRAT party. Their motto: “The more corrupt, sleazy, and despicable our candidates are, the better”.
The Democratic Party and their allies need to burn in hell!
When will Covid Fraud end
The SINister shameful SHAMELESS subversive use of position to defraud and STEAL taxpayer monies intended for the hurting. And that 1 still running for Elected Office, smh, DEMONcRat$ – nothing they do surprises bc their GODless self grandized self absorbed thinkings are 2use an Office to enrich themselves. Such criminality needs a reckoning of long-term incarceration. Imho
The Democratic Party believe they can do whatever they want and it is okay, however if anyone else does the same or calls them out then they are the ones that are wrong! The Democratic Party are the true enemies to our country along with their allies!
Sounds like Georgia is a hotbed of fraudsters. Is it something in the water?
Make an example. Truly hold them accountable.
The best defense is a good offence!
I keep hearing about‘being investigated’, when are any of these people going to be prosecuted and jailed.
Until there is punishment for their actions, these slimebags will continue to break the law. Georgia is corrupt! So many states are…. so sad.
What could possibly go wrong?
Rats. Not surprised. The Democratic Party is the worst enemy of USA.
ANYBODY THAT DEVELOPED ON COVID SHOULD BE TERMINATED!!!!!
Dimocrats of course.
Presumed innocent until proven guilty only seems to work for the democratic party because Trump and others in the Republican party are guilty before all the facts are out!!
Its getting old!! What a Great Country – yet so divided!