Pennsylvania Democrat lawmaker resigns following theft charges

Rep. Margo Davidson, D-Upper Darby, resigned from the state House of Representatives on Thursday after an investigation revealed her misuse of taxpayer funds.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Davidson stands accused of filing fraudulent reimbursement claims for overnight stays in Harrisburg and for events already paid for by her campaign.

“State representatives swear an oath to use their office for public service – not fraudulent personal gain,” Shapiro said. “We will uphold the laws of the Commonwealth without bias, and we will continue to uncover corruption wherever it is found.”

Davidson allegedly received payment from the House Comptroller’s Office for the claims and tried to pay a witness to lie during the course of the investigation, Shapiro’s office said.

The payments covered expenses incurred between 2015 and 2019, according to SpotlightPA.

Davidson faces misdemeanor charges of theft, solicitation to hinder apprehension, and election code violations. She’s paid a restitution of $6,925 and waived her preliminary hearing.

The Center Square reached out to Davidson’s district office for comment. A staffer said the office only handles constituent services and knows nothing about campaign issues. A phone call to Davidson’s Harrisburg office has yet to be returned.