ATLANTA — Governor Brian Kemp has suspended District 113 State Representative Sharon Henderson from her seat in the state legislature.
Per an executive order issued on Thursday evening, Henderson is suspended from office immediately pending the final disposition of her ongoing criminal case or until her term expires, whichever comes first.
Kemp issued the suspension following the appointment of a review commission that examined the case. The commission consisted of Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr (Republican), District 22 State Senator and House Minority Leader Harold Jones II (Democrat) and District 47 State Representative and Speaker Pro-Tempore of the Georgia House of Representatives Jan Jones (Republican).
The suspension states that the review commission has determined that Henderson’s pending charges do “adversely affect the administration of duties.”
It is not clear if Kemp will appoint a temporary replacement.
The Covington News has reached out to Henderson’s attorney for comment.
Henderson was indicted in December on two counts of theft of government funds and 10 counts of making false statements. She pleaded not guilty and was released on a $10,000 bond.
Federal prosecutors claim that Henderson, who is in her third term in the House, collected $17,811 in false unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current District 113 state representative reportedly made claims that she was out of work as a substitute teacher for Henry County Schools due to the pandemic.
But the U.S. Department of Justice says that Henderson had not worked for Henry County Schools since 2018, despite her submitting certifications to receive unemployment benefits and accepting said benefits as recently as 2021.
Two weeks after the indictment, Henderson spoke out publicly about the charges for the first time on her Facebook page via a fundraiser link titled "Justice For State Rep Sharon Henderson.” In the fundraiser, Henderson maintained her innocence.
“I was extremely confused and shocked when I was told by FBI agents that I was being arrested,” Henderson wrote. “All I could think was ‘what could I possibly have done?’ I was baffled. I have never been accused of any wrong doing in my entire life. I’ve never had any legal issues, never been accused of any crime, and I have never been arrested. I am 67 years old. I would never do this or do anything illegal!”
The case remains pending in federal court.
Henderson’s seat is up for reelection later this year. At this time, it remains unclear if she will seek out a fourth term under the Gold Dome. Ahead of the suspension, Karla Daniels Hooper has declared her intent to run for the seat.
