February 23, 2014 8:16 PM

EXCLUSIVE: TEA PARTY CHALLENGER TO PETE SESSIONS CRITICIZED FOR COLLECTING UNEMPLOYMENT

Former Dallas County GOP Chairman calls Katrina Pierson a "fraud"; Pierson says there's no scandal

The Republican challenger to Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Dallas, came under fire this weekend for what some point to as a blatant hypocrisy and "fraud" in the form of taking advantage of a government program while consistently railing against the government. Tea Party activist Katrina Pierson, who Sen. Ted Cruz has called “utterly fearless,” was on unemployment benefits leading up to her decision to run for Congress, newly released documents show.

According to the Financial Disclosure Statement she was required to file when running for federal office, Pierson received over $11,000 in unemployment benefits from the Texas Workforce Commission between January of 2012 and November of last year.

By Scott Braddock