Can Representatives Courser, Gamrat Survive Sex Scandal? Politicos Think It's Unlikely
LANSING (WWJ) - After weeks of online explanations and proclamations of sin -- local leaders are reacting to the ongoing controversy between two state representatives in Lansing.
Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat, both of whom are refusing to resign, are accused of using public resources to hide their extramarital affair, and of firing aides who refused to help them in that effort.
A preliminary report on the sex scandal by the House of Representatives found both misconduct and misuse of taxpayer resources by both reps. House Speaker Kevin Cotter has a copy of the report and says there is troubling evidence of misconduct. He's directing his legal counsel to review the findings and help determine if there should be any disciplinary action.
Former Senator Steve Tobocman, now with the Michigan Political Leadership Program, which met this past weekend - said talk of the sex scandal engulfing the Tea Party representatives took center stage.
"We talked about crisis management, and in this case, the two representatives almost couldn't have done a worse job handling this issue," said Tobocman.
As to the question of whether the two involved in the tryst will continue in public office?
"I have no idea," said Tobocman. "According to the experts we had together ... there seems to be almost unanimous belief that these two representatives won't see the end of their term and will probably never be elected to office again."
In a resounding voice vote, last week the Republican-led chamber passed a resolution creating a panel of four Republicans and two Democrats to investigate the qualifications of first-term Reps. Todd Courser of Lapeer and Cindy Gamrat of Plainwell. The social conservatives from the GOP's tea party wing could be expelled or disciplined in another way.
The House Business Office is already investigating whether Courser and Gamrat improperly used state resources to hide or divert attention from their affair and wrongly fired two aides who refused to help.
Tim Bolan, head of House Business Office, will release his report concerning any possible wrongdoing by the two Lapeer politicians.
When the county's parties both came out last week and said they wished the two would resign -- the writing should be on the wall for the two. "There is no local support for them, it really clears the way for the Republican caucus to step up and broom them out-of-the-way."
Courser has apologized and admitted to orchestrating an email sent to Republicans and the media in May falsely claiming he had been caught having sex with a male prostitute behind a Lansing nightclub, apparently to make his backers not believe or disregard his relationship with Gamrat if it was revealed. He said he concocted the scheme because he was being blackmailed.
Michigan State Police are investigating the claim.