First-term Michigan Reps. Todd Courser, 43, and Cindy Gamrat, 42. (Facebook photos)
Here's a summer distraction the Republican party can do without.
The Republican parties of Allegan and Lapeer counties are demanding that state Reps. Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat resign, Kathleen Gray of the Detroit Free Press reports. The two had an affair and Courser tried covering it up with a fictitious email saying that he had sex with a gay prostitute.
“We had people talking about forgiveness,” Steve McNeal, chairman of the Allegan County Republican Party, tells the Freep in describing a Thursday night meeting. The party voted 14-4 to ask Gamrat to resign.
“The real issue is, can she give effective representation both in Allegan and Lansing? And the overwhelming response I’ve heard is absolutely not.”
Gamrat was at the meeting and said she's a conservative who hopes to continue serving in Lansing, Gray writes.
The resolution says: “Whereas these violations of the Public Trust, and failures to maintain the character and integrity necessary to serve, make it impossible for her to provide the excellent representation Allegan County citizens expect and deserve; and Therefore, be it resolved: That the Allegan County Republican Party Executive Committee calls upon State Representative Cindy Gamrat to resign effective immediately.”
In Lapeer County, the party’s executive committee voted 22-1 to ask Courser, of Lapeer, to resign, as well as revoking his membership in the county party and banning him from placing any literature at GOP events, writes Gray of the Freep.
"This has been very trying on the people of Lapeer, it’s been embarrassing," Jan Peabody, chairman of the Lapeer County Republican Party, told the Freep. "The concern has been about our representation in Lansing."
Courser has indicated he plans to stay in office.
