Could Herschel Walker be disqualified from Georgia runoff over ‘tax fraud?’

Herschel Walker has been accused of claiming a “principal residence” tax exemption for a property in Texas, despite registering to vote in Georgia which he hopes to represent in the Senate.

The Trump-backed Republican faces a runoff against Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock on December 8, after neither candidate secured an absolute majority in the November 6 midterm vote.

Based on an analysis of tax records, CNN reports Walker received a homestead tax exemption this year for a house in Dallas, saving him around $1,500.

To do this, the former NFL star declared the property to be his “primary residence,” despite registering to vote in Georgia last year.

Herschel Walker has been contacted by Newsweek for comment.

Speaking to CNN, Professor Anthony Kreis, who teaches law at Georgia State University, said Walker is unlikely to face legal consequences as Georgian state law is flexible about residency when running for office.

He said: “At the end of the day, this is more of a political problem than a legal one in all likelihood…where Walker can be painted as a carpetbagger.

“It does call into question whether Walker’s change of residency was made in good faith.”

In 2008, Jim Powell, who was standing for a public service commission seat at a Democrat, was ruled ineligible to stand for receiving a homestead tax exemption for a property outside his district.

However, the decision, which was made by Georgia’s then secretary of state Republican Karen Handel, was overruled by the Georgian supreme court.

In an eight-page ruling, Justice Robert Benham said: “We agree with the superior court that the secretary committed an error of law that authorizes reversal of the secretary’s decision.”

A number of politicians in Texas have fallen foul of the state’s homestead tax exemption rules, without disqualified from office.

Earlier this year, Democratic Representative Vicente Gonzalez pledged to pay back $2,300 in tax, after it emerged he and his wife had claimed the homestead exemption on two separate properties.

In 2009 then Republican Governor Rick Perry agreed to pay an additional $183 in tax, after it emerged he received the exemption for a property his daughter was staying in, whilst studying at the Texas A&M University.

Earlier this week a clip of Walker mistakenly telling Fox News “this erection is about the people” went viral on social media, attracting more than five million views.

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