Michigan House Sex Scandal Rocks Committee: Lawmaker Resigns, Another Is Expelled Over Extramarital Affair

The Michigan House sex scandal involving Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat, two social conservatives who admitted to misconduct for having concealed their extramarital affair, resulted in Gamrat’s expulsion from office and Courser’s resignation early Friday morning. According to a report from MLive, the two lawmakers were not only accused of misconduct, they also reportedly misused taxpayer resources in an effort to cover up their extra-marital affair.

During a hearing on Thursday regarding the matter, state Representative Todd Courser admitted to wrongdoing and issued a public apology to other lawmakers in attendance.

“It’s an unfortunate chapter, where we’re at, obviously for the state House, for the state, for the Legislature, for my own family,” Courser said. “It’s time to turn a page and take a step forward and go in a different direction, obviously heal some stuff in my own house, and this House and this body can heal a little bit more as well.”

The Associated Press wrote that 67 members supported expelling Courser, which was six short of the two-thirds supermajority needed under the state constitution. Dozens of Democrats abstained from the vote while others criticized the process and asked that the case be reviewed by law enforcement.

Details surrounding the Michigan House sex scandal revealed that Courser sent an “outlandish” phony email to GOP activists and others in May claiming he was caught with a male prostitute. According to the report, Courser, 43, admitted to sending the email, which was a failed attempt to make his affair with the 42-year-old Gamrat appear less believable if it were exposed by an anonymous blackmailer who had demanded his resignation.

Faced with the overwhelming evidence against him, Courser announced his resignation and was immediately escorted out of the chamber. Gamrat was expelled shortly after the resignation of Courser. Speaking with reporters, Courser gave the following statement.

“I just felt like it was the appropriate moment to do it. I put everybody through a whole bunch — across the state, my own family, the constituents, the people in this room… Whether it was the third vote or the fourth vote or the fifth vote, they were going to eventually get me.”

Gamrat refused to resign and instead opted to be judged by her colleagues. Gamrat argued that she didn’t deserve expulsion and said she was under the impression that she was going to be censured, not expelled.

“I firmly believe in restoration and redemption,” Gamrat expressed.” I have done everything I can to redeem this situation and I’m sincerely sorry for what this has caused. I still believe my actions warrant censure, but not expulsion. I know in my heart the mistakes I’ve made are not all the mistakes in the report. I still believe my actions warrant censure, but not expulsion.”

[Image via video screenshot]