HARRISBURG, Pa. — A Pennsylvania State Representative has been charged with stealing from the Commonwealth by filing fraudulent overnight per diem requests and various other expenses through the House Comptroller's Office, state Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced Thursday.
State Rep. Margo Davidson, a Democrat who has represented the 164th legislative district since 2011, is also charged with hindering prosecution, Shapiro said.
Davidson has resigned from her position and accepted responsibility, Shapiro said.
“State Representatives swear an oath to use their office for public service — not fraudulent personal gain,” Shapiro said in a press release. “We will uphold the laws of the Commonwealth without bias, and we will continue to uncover corruption wherever it is found.”
A Grand Jury found that Davidson, 58, requested overnight expenses for nights she did not spend in Harrisburg, and received personal reimbursements from the Commonwealth for expenses that had been paid for by her campaign.
Davidson has also been charged with Election Code violations arising from failure to report campaign finance information, as well as soliciting a witness to lie during the course of the investigation, according to Shapiro.
Representatives are entitled to payments for out-of-pocket expenses during official events and trips, Shapiro said. However, he added, Davidson was reimbursed for expenses paid for by her campaign. She was also reimbursed for overnight expenses that she submitted but never incurred at all, according to Shapiro.
Each fraudulent claim resulted in personal profit for Davidson, he said.
Davidson has been charged with misdemeanor charges of Theft, Solicitation to Hinder Apprehension, and Election Code Violations. She waived her preliminary hearing, and has paid the restitution of $6,925.
The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General James Price.
