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As a House Business Office investigation into an affair between two state lawmakers extends in to its second week, the speaker of the House is defending his handling of the office romance.
House Speaker Kevin Cotter says he heard the same rumors everyone else had – that State Representative’s Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat were having an affair.
But Cotter says he can’t police affairs, nor can he be a babysitter.
Cotter says there were no red flags then that compelled him to step in, so he didn’t.
The House Business Office is now looking for any red flags to see if Courser or Gamrat misused taxpayer dollars or resources in covering up their affair.
The office could wrap up its investigation by the end of the week.
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There was another odd twist Tuesday in the scandal involving two state representatives who had an affair.
One of them, State Representative Cindy Gamrat, wanted to talk to House Democrats during their closed door caucus meeting to apologize.
House Minority Leader Tim Greimel told the Republican no but did allow a letter to be read aloud.
He says it was a letter of apology but wouldn’t say any more.
Greimel says lawmakers listened and then moved on to other issues.
A spokesperson for the House Democrats wouldn’t say who read the letter or what was in it.
House Speaker Kevin Cotter says she wanted to talk to Republicans too but also said no.
The House Business Office is conducting an investigation to determine whether or not Gamrat and fellow State Representative Todd Courser used taxpayer dollars or resources to hide their affair.
Tuesday marked the first day the two have returned to the capitol since their affair was uncovered.
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State Representative Cindy Gamrat has her first challenger since news broke of her involvement in a scandal with fellow House Republican Todd Courser.
Mary Whiteford, a Casco Township Republican, has announced she’s running to represent Allegan County’s 80th district, the seat currently held by Gamrat.
Whiteford says she’s running because Gamrat is not properly representing her constituents and feels she can do a better job.
Gamrat and Courser are currently the subject of an investigation into whether they used state resources to cover up their extramarital affair.
Whiteford finished 2nd to Gamrat in the GOP primary in August 2014.
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Embattled State Representative Todd Courser made his first public appearance Tuesday when the Michigan House gaveled in its first session day in weeks.
Courser spent most of the morning in the House gallery overlooking the chamber.
He returned to his seat when lawmakers returned to the chamber after lunch.
He did briefly talk to reporters and says he came to Lansing Tuesday because it’s his job and there could be an important vote looming on road funding that he wants to be a part of.
Courser says, despite his personal situation, he is still responsible for representing the people of Lapeer County.
The Michigan House Business Office is conducting an investigation to determine if taxpayer dollars or resources were used to cover up their affair.
Both lawmakers have acknowledged the affair; neither is resigning.
