Both of Michigan's Tea Party Trysters Want Their Jobs Back

Updated at 12:40 p.m.

Todd Courser, who resigned minutes before the Michigan House of Representatives was poised to oust him in a marathon session last week, has filed nomination papers to replace himself in a special election.

The disgraced lawmaker from Lapeer County, caught in a sex scandal and bizarre cover-up with expelled representative Cindy Gamrat, made the announcement on CNN Friday. On his Facebook page, Courser said he left the decision to his wife on whether he should try to get his job back. He posted:

“She said, ‘Yes, you absolutely should run. The voters didn’t have a chance to decide. The decision was taken from them. The people never had an opportunity to hear about all the good representation you have given them in both your Conservative voting record and your Conservative legislation. Put your name in, run, give the people a chance to consider your record and decide for themselves.’ ”

If successful, Courser would be the first Michigan lawmaker to resign his seat and come back to succeed.

Gamrat, only the fourth lawmaker in history to be expelled from the Legislature, filed papers to run for her old job on Thursday.

“I’ve always maintained that I thought the decision should be up to the voters,” not the Legislature, Gamrat, of Plainwell, told The Detroit News. “I think that they ought to have a voice in this matter.”

The affair between the two Tea Party Republicans was exposed six weeks ago by The Detroit News in a story detailing secret audio recordings made by former aides who had been asked to participate in a bizarre cover-up scheme orchestrated by Courser.

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The aides refused to go along with the misinformation campaign, which involved the distribution of sexually explicit emails accusing Courser — a staunch gay marriage opponent — of paying for sex with a male prostitute. Courser reportedly figured the fake scandal would be so over the top that no one would believe it, and would deflect attention away from the real extramarital affair.

The affair between the two has made sizzling headlines since it was exposed in August, with a former aide offering salacious details of the interoffice romance that became such a distraction that it created “untenable” working conditions.

In a news conference days after the scandal broke, former aide Joshua Cline said Courser and Gamrat took long afternoons away from the office they shared, had late-night dinners, and held each other in romantic embraces. When Courser napped in their shared office space, Gamrat often fetched him a pillow and gave him intimate tuck-ins, the former aide said.

Both former lawmakers will join crowded fields in the Nov. 3 primaries to decide nominees for a special March 8 special election, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Other candidates in Courser’s former District 82 seat are Lapeer County Republican chairwoman Jan Peabody, who narrowly lost to Courser in the August 2014 primary election, and Chris Tuski, Jake Davison, Ian Kempf, Gary Howell, James Dewilde, Allan Landosky and Russell Adams.

Two Democrats — Margaret Guerrero DeLuca and R.D. Bohm — are also seeking the seat.

Joining Gamrat on the ballot for the District 80 seat are Republicans Mary Whiteford, who Gamrat squeaked past in the 2014 primary, and Bill Sage, Shannon Szukala and Kevin Travis. County Commissioner Jim Storey also has said he’s interested in running for the seat. He has until 4 p.m. Friday to file papers.

A crowded field could split the ”anyone but Cindy” vote, Allegan County Republican Party chairman Steve McNeal told the Detroit Free Press.

“We knew this was a possibility because everybody knew this was a great opportunity,” he said. “Everybody would look at it and say all I need is $100 if I’m a Republican or not to get into this race.”

The two disgraced lawmakers are running while the Michigan State Police and Michigan Attorney General’s Office are continues into whether they broke any laws in using a combined office space to maintain and cover up their extramarital affair.

Catch Up on This Story:

• State Rep Wanted to Cover Up Affair With Fake Gay Sex Scandal
• Rep. Courser’s Brother Posts Alleged Blackmail Texts Online
• Not My Finest Moment’ – State Rep Apologizes for Fake Sex Scandal Scheme
• Legislators Not Quitting, Ex-Aide Shares Steamy Details of Affair
• Lawmakers OK Inquiry into House Sex Scandal and Cover-Up
• Select Committee to Decide Fate of Lawmakers in Sex Scandal: Read the Report
• Watch Sex Scandal Hearings Live: Gamrat Expected to Admit Guilt to Keep Job
• Courser Pleads for His Job, Says His ‘Heart Is Sincere’: Watch the Hearing
• Republican-Controlled House Can’t Muster Enough Votes to Oust Courser and Gamrat
• Michigan Lawmakers Ousted in Bizarre Sex Scandal
• Disgraced Lawmaker Cindy Gamrat Files Papers to Replace Herself