Missouri lawmaker resigns from House after fraud conviction

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri legislator has resigned her seat after being convicted of falsely claiming she was giving patients stem cell treatments for COVID-19.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Sunday that Republican state Rep. Tricia Derges of Nixa sent her resignation letter to House Speaker Rob Vescovo on Friday.

She was convicted in June on 22 counts including wire fraud, illegal distribution of controlled substances and making false statements to investigators.

Federal prosecutors argued she claimed nearly $900,000 in federal funding for COVID-19 treatments that weren’t performed or had already been performed. They also alleged she promoted amniotic fluid as a COVID-19 treatment and other diseases by falsely claiming it contained stem cells.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-springfield-4cae83eeb02e5ec1c494fcae6c6d8271

[Lil Liberal Laura]

1. Republican state Rep.Tricia Derges

Okay then! Situation Normal. . .

[dhol82]

2. I'm sure her replacement will be a clone.

[Rebl2]

3. About time

[Gore1FL]

4. I am surprised they did not go on to announce their candidacy for U.S. Senate.

That's how the GOP sometimes rolls in Missouri.

[Aussie105]

5. How silly!

Stem cells for covid?

OK, please explain how that is supposed to work?

No, saying that it does, isn't the correct answer!

But I guess milking pregnant women for their amniotic fluid would have been the next step.

[Emile]

6. So has she paid us tax payers back the money

she took from us?

[riversedge]

7. very serious convictions-messing with people's lives

[Fritz67]

8. Wait a second...

...that can happen? Republicans can actually face consequences for wrongdoing?

[FakeNoose]

9. This story needs to get more airtime

We need to convince the State Attorneys General in the US that is worthwhile to track these Repuke cheaters down.