A Republican Florida lawmaker, who authored the controversial law dubbed “Don’t Say Gay,” resigned Thursday, the day after he become indicted for defrauding the federal coronavirus mortgage application for small organizations.

In a prolonged put up on Facebook on Thursday, country Rep. Joe Harding, R-Williston, stated he become right away resigning from his House seat and pointed out his work representing his materials. He declined to speak approximately the federal indictment towards him.

“It has been a notable honor to serve the human beings of this country and extra in particular the human beings of Levy and Marion Counties,” Harding stated. “However, because of legal troubles that require my whole focus, it’s miles my opinion that now could be the time to permit a person else to serve my district.”

Florida House Speaker Paul Renner launched the subsequent announcement upon receiving the resignation: “After in addition session with Representative Harding, I recognize and recognize his selection to put up his resignation.”

“The Florida House stays centered on subsequent week’s all-critical unique consultation on belongings insurance, typhoon recovery, and toll relief,” Renner added.

Harding become the House sponsor of the Parental Rights in Education law, which restricts speech in public faculty lecture rooms approximately sexual orientation and gender identity.

Even earlier than the law went into impact remaining summer, warring parties stated the law and its surrounding rhetoric contributed to a adverse surroundings for LGBTQ human beings.

Education:As ‘Don’t Say Gay’ and comparable payments take hold, LGBTQ youths sense they’re ‘getting crushed’ 

In March:Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs ‘Don’t Say Gay’ invoice into law, lashes out at ‘faux narratives’  

A federal grand jury lower back a six-count indictment towards Harding on Wednesday, in line with the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida.

The indictment alleges that, among December 2020 and March 2021, the legislator devoted acts of cord fraud through taking part in a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration and for using “fake and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises” to acquire the federal loans.

The indictment claims he made fake and fraudulent SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications, and used the names of dormant organizations in helping documentation. He made bank statements for one of these dormant organizations, in line with the indictment.

Overall, Harding allegedly sought to fraudulently acquire and try to acquire extra than $150,000 in SBA budget.

He is moreover charged with counts of carrying out financial transactions with budget derived from illegal hobby and counts of creating fake statements to the SBA.

Wire fraud has a most sentence of 20 years, cash laundering 10 years and making fake statements 5 years.

In a posting to his Facebook page on Wednesday, Harding stated he pleaded now no longer responsible to the federal expenses and stated he “completely” paid the federal mortgage.

“I need the general public and my materials to recognize that I completely repaid the mortgage and cooperated with investigators as requested,” he stated. “On recommendation from counsel, I might be not able to mention some thing extra precise approximately the legal complaints till a later date and refer any questions or worries associated with this depend to my attorney.”