ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Thursday suspended a state House member accused of lying to collect federal unemployment benefits during the pandemic.
Kemp accepted a report from a review commission finding that the charges against Democratic state Rep. Sharon Henderson of Covington hurt her ability to perform her duties. The Republican governor ordered her suspended from office until her case is resolved or her term expires in January 2027.
Henderson was indicted in December on charges of theft of government funds and making false statements, accused of illegally collecting $17,811 in unemployment benefits. She has pleaded not guilty and is free on bail.
Gerald Griggs, Henderson's lawyer, has said his client will fight the charges, and had called on the Republican Kemp to refrain from suspending Henderson.
“We look forward to litigating this matter in court,” Griggs wrote in a Jan. 8 text message. “In America, every individual is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Prosecutors say Henderson falsely claimed benefits in 2019 as a laid off substitute teacher. But prosecutors say Henderson hadn’t worked for the Henry County school system since 2018 and say her contract included an acknowledgment that substitute teachers aren’t entitled to unemployment payments.
Prosecutors say Henderson falsely claimed she worked for the school system in 2019 and 2020 while seeking benefits in 2020 and 2021. Henderson took office in House District 113, which covers parts of Newton County, in January 2021.
Henderson's suspension comes a day after former state Rep. Karen Bennett pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements to collect $13,940. Bennett, 70, resigned from the House just before being charged.
Bennett's lawyers said she will pay back the $13,490 but said prosecutors have agreed to seek no prison time or supervised release. Her sentencing is scheduled April 15.
The federal government paid special unemployment benefits during the pandemic, using state unemployment systems, to people who lost their jobs because of COVID-19. As with regular unemployment benefits, applicants had to certify every week that they remained unemployed to claim benefits.
FILE - Rep. Sharon Henderson, D-Covington, listens to Gov. Brian Kemp speak during the State of the State speech, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Naomi Osaka withdrew from the Australian Open before her scheduled third-round match against Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis on Saturday, ending a campaign noted strikingly for fashion and friction.
The two-time Australian Open champion announced it on social media without divulging her injury, posting on Instagram that she had to withdraw “to address something my body needs attention for after my last match.”
“I was so excited to keep going and this run meant the most to me, so having to stop here breaks my heart," Osaka posted, “but I can't risk doing any further damage so I can get back on the court.”
In comments later published by the tournament, Osaka said she had a left abdominal issue.
“It’s an injury I’ve had a couple of times before, and I thought I could push through it,” she said. “I played my last match with some pain, and I thought maybe if I gave myself a break before my match today, I would be able to handle it. But I warmed up, and it got a lot worse.”
The 28-year-old four-time major winner said she'd need more tests before deciding on long-term treatment.
“Obviously I think coming back from pregnancy, my body changed quite a lot,” she said. “So this is something I have to be really cautious of."
Osaka had a daughter, Shai, in July 2023 during a 15-month break from the tour. She returned to competition in 2024 and made it back to the semifinals of a major for the first time at last year's U.S. Open.
“I’m just grateful to be otherwise very healthy," she said, "and I hope that I’m able to play some good tennis for the rest of the year.”
Osaka's grand entrance to the tournament earlier this week went viral, when she walked onto the court for her first-round match wearing a wide-brim hat, a veil and holding a white parasol — a design she said her clothing sponsor, Nike, let her create.
In the second round, Osaka fended off Sorana Cirstea in a tense 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 win at Margaret Court Arena that ended acrimoniously.
The pair barely exchanged a handshake over the net, with Cirstea glancing in Osaka’s direction briefly and then turning her head away.
As they walked toward the umpire’s chair, Osaka asked, “What was that for?”
Cirstea responded directly to the four-time Grand Slam champion, upset with Osaka’s efforts to pump herself up at stages during the match.
“Apparently a lot of ‘C’mons’ that she was angry about,” Osaka said, “but whatever. I think this was her last Australian Open so, OK, sorry she was mad about it.”
Osaka won the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021. She won two other Grand Slam titles at the U.S. Open, where she beat Serena Williams in the 2018 final and won again in 2020.
She was seeded 16th for this tournament and was set to play Inglis, ranked No. 168, in a night match on Rod Laver Arena.
Inglis will next face No. 2-ranked Iga Świątek, who had a 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 win later Saturday over No. 31 Anna Kalinskaya.
In an on-court interview following the match, Swiatek was told of Osaka's withdrawal.
“Hopefully Naomi is well. She was playing great,” said Swiatek, who is in Australia bidding to complete a career Grand Slam. “It’s exciting to be in a fourth round again.”
To the crowd, she said: “Hopefully you’re not going to be so harsh for me if I’m playing an Australian!”
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Sorana Cirstea, left, of Romania and Naomi Osaka of Japan talk at the net following their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
FILE - Naomi Osaka of Japan walks onto Rod Laver Arena for her first round match against Antonia Ruzic of Croatia at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake, File)
Naomi Osaka of Japan reacts after defeating Sorana Cirstea of Romania in their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
