Republican Florida Rep. Joe Harding was all too quick to insert his alleged good Christian values on the state’s LGBTQ students and their families, but he apparently forgot all about those same values when it came to getting some illegal money from the federal government.
Harding—the lawmaker behind HB 1557, which supporters call the “Parental Rights in Education” bill but most refer to as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill—was indicted Wednesday on a six-count charge of money laundering, wire fraud, and making false statements after a federal grand jury concluded that he fraudulently claimed to have employees in two dormant business in an effort to receive COVID-19 loans in 2020.
According to reporting from the Miami Herald, Harding, 35, applied to the Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loans for $150,000 during the pandemic for businesses that did not legally qualify. He additionally created false bank statements as his supporting documentation.
RELATED STORY: 'Don't Say Gay' in action: No sex ed in Miami public schools for students in grades 6-12
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Harding responded to the charges via a statement on Facebook.
“Today, I pleaded not guilty to federal charges that state I improperly obtained and used an EIDL loan issued by the Small Business Administration. I want the public and my constituents to know that I fully repaid the loan and cooperated with investigators as requested.
“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. I ask that you keep me and my family in your prayers as we work for a fair and just resolution. Thank you, and may God bless you.”
Politico reports that Harding is being accused of using the Vak Shack, a company that sells discounted vacuum bags, and a 46-acre cattle and horse farm called Harding Farms to try to dupe the government out of pandemic-related loans. Both businesses were officially inactive from May 2017 to December 2020.
Harding also filed paperwork in Florida at the time falsifying that both companies were still in operation, according to the indictment.
Harding faces 35 years in prison but has not been remanded into custody. His trial begins on Jan. 11 in Gainesville, Florida.
Harding was elected in 2020 and has become synonymous with the hateful measure, passed on March 8 and signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on March 28, banning classroom discussion in grades K-3 of gender identity and sexual orientation.
According to the Associated Press, following the signature of the now-infamous bill, threats against LGBTQ people surged online. In the first month, threats increased by 400%.
Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, told the AP in August, “Online hate and lies reflect and reinforce offline violence and hate … The normalization of anti-LGBTQ+ narratives in digital spaces puts LGBTQ+ people in danger.”
Since the indictment, Florida House Speaker Paul Renner has removed Harding from his committee assignments, including a seat on the House Judiciary Committee.
“After consultation with Representative Harding regarding his indictment, I am temporarily removing him from his committee assignments to allow him time to focus on this matter,” Renner said. “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.”
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