A Muslim Pennsylvania state lawmaker has been charged for allegedly stealing half a million dollars from a charity she founded.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said in a statement Thursday that Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell (D) had been charged with numerous charges of theft, perjury, and tampering.
Johnson-Harrell had previously made headlines for being offended by a Christian prayer offered before a session of the Pennsylvania Legislature in March.
Shapiro said that she had stolen money from Motivations Education & Consultation Associates, or MECA, a charity meant to collect donations to help the homeless, seniors and children.
He alleged that she spent the money on “vacations, designer clothing, luxury car payments, real estate purchases, past-due mortgage payments, and other personal expenses.”
Underperforming California school district paying enormous sum to teach kids with a ‘rap curriculum’
London police investigating Iran ties to Jewish ambulance arson after terrorist group claims responsibility
Ex-girlfriend, 3 others nabbed in killing tied to alleged murder-for-hire plot in ‘unusual’ case: police
Christian Preacher Scores Big Win for Religious Liberty After Liberal Supreme Court Justice Authors Surprising Opinion
Smithsonian unveils ‘Our Shared Future’ programming for America’s 250 celebrations
BREAKING: At Least 13 Airports Will Receive ICE Agents to Help with TSA Shortage
SCOTUS conservatives signal readiness to curb late-arriving mail ballots
Starmer focuses on economic threats after Iranian missiles fail to reach British base on Diego Garcia
House GOP targeting vulnerable Dems over DHS shutdown, TSA chaos
Atlanta airport asks travelers to arrive four hours early as ICE comes to help
Despite Trump Policies, Stanford Still Has This Woke DEI Program
Breaking: Trump Orders Halt to All Strikes on Iranian Energy Infrastructure as End to Conflict Near
Supreme Court reverses lower court on qualified immunity for Vermont police sergeant who arrested protester
CNN Tries To Rebrand Anderson Cooper As Podcaster In Sad Grab For Relevance
Taylor Lorenz Wants to Bring Back Masking in the Name of ‘Basic Solidarity’: ‘We’re 6 Years Into a Pandemic’
Shapiro said in the statement that she had turned herself in, had confessed to the crimes, and had agreed to leave the Pennsylvania Legislature.
“Her theft knew no bounds,” he said.
Later, in a statement released through her lawyers to the Associated Press, she said she disputed some the charges.
“I am saddened and dismayed by the nature of the allegations brought against me today,” Johnson-Harrell said.
“I vigorously dispute many of these allegations, which generally pertain to before I took office and I intend to accept responsibility for any actions that were inappropriate,” she added.
Johnson-Harrell had founded MECA in 2006.
She had been the first Muslim representative elected to the Pennsylvania Legislature.
