(Fake Gay) Sex, Lies and Audiotape: Oh, my!

[Howl]

Just came across this Huffington Post article titled:

Michigan Tea Party Lawmakers' Reported Affair Cover-Up Is Being Investigated

(State rep allegedly wanted to distract from affair with fake story about gay sex.)

See if you can follow this story, which, as they say, has more twists than a barrel full of snakes:

 

 

Quote

The Detroit News published recordings Friday in which they identify Rep. Todd Courser ® telling a staffer about his affair with fellow tea party Republican Rep. Cindy Gamrat. Both are married and have children. In the recorded May 19 meeting, Courser instructs aide Ben Graham to send an anonymous mass email to Republicans that would accuse Courser of paying for sex with a man behind a Lansing nightclub.

 

The false story was intended to minimize the blowback if the affair between Courser and Gamrat were later revealed.

 

“I need to, if possible, inoculate the herd against gutter politics that are coming,†Courser says in the recording given to the paper by Graham. The aide refused to send the email and was fired last month along with Gamrat staffer Keith Allard....

...In the Detroit News recording, Courser reads a version of the email he wants Graham to send. It is similar to an email published by a Michigan political blog that was reportedly sent the following day and calls Courser a “bi-sexual porn addicted deviant†and a “gun toting bible thumping cock sucking freak." The email also accuses Gamrat of helping cover up Courser’s behavior and calls her a "tramp."

 

Courser and Gamrat are both strong supporters of traditional marriage. After the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of same-sex marriage in June, Courser said it was a “crushing day for those who believe in traditional marriage and traditional morality.†In advance of the ruling, he introduced legislation that would prevent anyone other than

clergy members from performing marriages...

 

Because being thought to be a “gun toting bible thumping cock sucking freak" or a "tramp" is infinitely better than being outed as an adulterer when you support traditional marriage.

 

 

Quote

...Courser's aide, Graham, told his boss it would be better for the lawmaker to quit or admit to the affair. In a text message to Graham published by the News, Courser says he doesn’t think resigning is “the way to go down.â€

“We decided to destroy ourselves,†Courser says in the recording. “If this is the lead-in, we go for the sham, the scam.â€

 

In Courser's announcement to run for public office, he references prayer and god often

 

• I humbly seek your prayers, your support, your donation and finally, your vote in this upcoming August 5th Primary.

 

• Each and every one of these avenues must be done effectively and with a fury that will put the fear of God in the establishment, lobbyists, and special interests.

 

 

 

• I have felt a strong sense from the Lord that he has been leading in one or two of those directions

 

• (I intend to do a follow-up email on all the background and spiritual steps of this, for those of you who have interest and have faithfully prayed for all of this.)

 

 

 

• Myself, Mr. Nakagiri, or any Republican candidate seeking office should be allowed to pursue their God-given right to serve their fellow citizens

 

• I am excited for what God has in store on this journey.

 

 

 

The irony of this last one is almost too painful to contemplate

 

The victims of his idiocy are obviously his wife and four very sweet children.

 

For a more detailed article and some audio from the recording, go to the The Detroit News account here:

detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2015/08/06/recordings-state-rep-asked-aide-hide-relationship/31269315/

[Cartmann99]

Once again, we see that those that preach the loudest about morality are usually the ones with skeletons in their closets. :roll:

[FloraKitty35]

The Advocate also had a link to this story, as well.

[NeverAFundie]

I lived in west Michigan for many years, and still have family living in Gamrat's district. This whole thing is an epic shit show in a part of the state that bleeds very, very red. The "mainstream" Republicans in Michigan have hated these idiots since they walked in the door in Lansing back in January. And Michigan's "mainstream" Republicans are a pretty crazy, conservative bunch. It also never ceases to amaze me how totally idiotic public officials are regarding what they will put in things like emails and text messages. These are the yahoos who introduced legislation that would have required all marriage licenses to be signed by a member of the clergy. :pull-hair:

[quiversR4hunting]

Yes this is crazy! For the latest information on this I suggest everyone use mlive.com it's the website that houses almost every major paper outside the 2 Detroit papers (Free Press and News).

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/ind ... ed_stories

Yes, these idiots wanted all marriage licenses by only clergy- which is ridiculous on so many levels, this coming from a Catholic!

Courser is going down in flames, he cannot keep his trap shut. He is trying to drag down his former staffers (that he fired), etc. Gamrat is staying quite. She canceled a meeting with constituents today.

[Howl]

Yes this is crazy! For the latest information on this I suggest everyone use mlive.com it's the website that houses almost every major paper outside the 2 Detroit papers (Free Press and News).

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/ind ... ed_stories

Yes, these idiots wanted all marriage licenses by only clergy- which is ridiculous on so many levels, this coming from a Catholic!

Courser is going down in flames, he cannot keep his trap shut. He is trying to drag down his former staffers (that he fired), etc. Gamrat is staying quiet. She canceled a meeting with constituents today.

thank you for that link!

I really thought that this could not get weirder, but it did. Courser believes that establishment GOP operatives bugged his office and tried to blackmail him over the affair. Or at least, that's kinda why he sent out the email accusing himself of having gay sex. But....he needs to stay in office to fight for truth and the constitution and world peace. Oh wait, that last one is Ms. America. Anyway,

Courser, in his audio statement, said he has chosen to stay in office and — as an admittedly "broken messenger" — publicly discuss the "political shenanigans" played in Lansing. He used the phrase "Lansing mafia" and alleged broad efforts to limit his voice in the state Capitol, even suggesting his office had been "bugged."

"I feel it is absolutely essential for the cause of liberty to have these clandestine operations to control public officials exposed, so I've refused to leave quietly and have decided these issues really need to come out," he said.

That is so incredibly honorable and self-sacrificing. Really, you just cannot make this stuff up.

Anyway, Brandon Hall, the blogger and (former) ardent supporter of Courser and Gamrat specifically and the Tea Party in general, originally exposed the affair in a post the first week of July.

Hall said the affair was wrong, but "people make mistakes."

Hall, a passionate defender of the Constitution and and lover of Liberty, has first-hand knowledge of making mistakes.

[Hall] was forced to resign from the Grand Haven Board of Education in April 2010 after being convicted of stealing $750 from a school fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. He was sentenced to two years on probation and at least twice served time in the Ottawa County Jail for violating probation.

In an ongoing, separate case...Court documents show that Hall has admitted to falsifying signatures of other people on 10 nominating petitions for attorney Chris Houghtaling of Grand Haven during Houghtaling's unsuccessful campaign for Ottawa County District Court judge in 2012

This is even better than Texas politics, and we have an Attorney General who was just indicted for securities fraud and an ex Governor who has been indicted for abuse of power.

[Peas n carrots]

Michigan, your latest political debacle is worthy of the Illinois Political Shit Show Award. This is pretty amazing LMAO.

[quiversR4hunting]

Michigan, your latest political debacle is worthy of the Illinois Political Shit Show Award. This is pretty amazing LMAO.

I'm so ashamed!

I love my state but our state officials (house, senate, governor) are all power hungry and leaving all of us working/middle class in the dust of their hair brained schemes.

[snarkopolis]

Hooray!!!!! :lol: not NJ. :popcorn2:

[salex]

Hooray!!!!! :lol: not NJ. :popcorn2:

Or Kansas....

[ViolaSebastian]

[Hall] was forced to resign from the Grand Haven Board of Education in April 2010 after being convicted of stealing $750 from a school fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. He was sentenced to two years on probation and at least twice served time in the Ottawa County Jail for violating probation.

I think it's worth noting that he stole from children and those with cancer simultaneously. That takes cojones.

[Deist woman]

Doesn't it seem REALLY strange that he would drum up fake emails about a non-existent sexual act with a male prostitute? That is so much worse (in Tea Politics) than just an ordinary case of adultery. It is like burning down the house so your mother won't notice you broke her antique lamp while she was at work. Why would he even want to get reporters' taste for blood whetted with that much bigger "story"?

I will follow this with interest. I would not be surprised to find that the male prostitute story is actually true, which is why he would try to label it in advance as a lie. His affair with Gamrat might have been just the cover up for illicit gay sex. I have a feeling he was being blackmailed, (probably by the prostitute), and tried this insane gambit as a way to deny credibility to the blackmail.

[quiversR4hunting]

Today's article focuses on Gamrat because she has yet to talk. She started tea party clubs down near Fort Wayne- sorry Indiana, you are now part of the story. The Senator in that district (GOP woman) is quoted in today's article that Gamrat hasn't participated in local events. And how it is weird they joined offices and the counties they represent are across the state.

I wonder how this affair started. Lapeer county borders Macomb county where she grew up. Courser went to WMU same as Gamrat's husband. WMU is large but I wonder if the men met in college (fraternity or such). But Gamrat and Courser could have just met getting their new badges at the capital.

The best part of the article- the comments. OMG!

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/ind ... ryheadline

[Eighth-of-eleven]

Doesn't it seem REALLY strange that he would drum up fake emails about a non-existent sexual act with a male prostitute? That is so much worse (in Tea Politics) than just an ordinary case of adultery. It is like burning down the house so your mother won't notice you broke her antique lamp while she was at work. Why would he even want to get reporters' taste for blood whetted with that much bigger "story"?

I will follow this with interest. I would not be surprised to find that the male prostitute story is actually true, which is why he would try to label it in advance as a lie. His affair with Gamrat might have been just the cover up for illicit gay sex. I have a feeling he was being blackmailed, (probably by the prostitute), and tried this insane gambit as a way to deny credibility to the blackmail.

My thoughts exactly.

[Growelly]

Or Kansas....

Or Wisconsin...

[Alicja]

I remember hearing about this on the news... what the fuck?

I love Michigan, but our Republicans are extra as hell :lol: someone please take away their Internet access...

[Howl]

Cindy Gamrat (member of a Baptist congregation and yup, homeschooling mother of 3) just broke her silence, according to the Lansing News:

State Rep. Cindy Gamrat will not resign her seat in the wake of a cover-up scandal related to an extramarital affair with another state lawmaker.

The Plainwell Republican, one of the most conservative members of the Legislature, said in a press conference that she merely wanted to say she was sorry for her "personal indiscretion."

"I have and intend to fully cooperate with the investigation. I am not proud of my personal conduct, but I believe an open and honest investigation will vindicate me," she said, choking up frequently during her 10-minute press conference at the law offices of Andrew Abood.

Her husband, Joe, stood by her side and she said she was very sorry for the pain she's put her family through.

"They don't deserve what's come upon them. I take full responsibility," she said.

She didn't totally rule out the possibility of resigning, but said that wasn't a decision for today.

I am not proud of my personal conduct, but I believe an open and honest investigation will vindicate me

Gamrat press conference on YouTube for those following this:

[bBvideo 560,340:2ioedsew]

[/bBvideo]

A few other articles note that she is disliked among her Republican legislative colleagues for her rigid ideological stance and her constituents are pissed because they sent her to Lansing to represent them and she never bothered to check back in with them. The legislature may get rid of her and Courser or perhaps she'll be recalled. If it can be proven she and Courser misused public funds, her troubles are just beginning.

Meanwhile, according to station WXYZ in Detroit:

Embattled State Rep. Todd Courser remains in hiding from the media. On Wednesday, he avoided 7 Investigator Jim Kiertzner who tried to ask him questions outside of Courser's Lapeer law office this afternoon.

Courser continues to use social media to put out his limited message. In a Facebook posting last night, Courser repeated he was blackmailed by people to expose his alleged affair with fellow St. Rep. Cindy Gamrat unless he resigned.

Courser named three former aides to both Reps. who have been fired.

Courser also claimed that had worked with political consultant David Forsmark who categorically denies the allegation and told 7 Action News, "Courser is trying to prove he's not crazy."

Courser also claims in his post that he's been "in contact with authorities for a period of time" but Michigan State Police say not them and the Michigan Attorney General is not commenting.

House Democratic Leader Tim Greimel has called on the AG to investigate.

Some fellow Michigan House members say they will vote to expel Courser and Gamrat if they don't resign. Calls for resignations are increasing in their home districts.

Paula Proctor and Paulette Johnson tell 7 Investigator Kiertzner that they helped Courser avoid the media at his office last Friday when the scandal broke by driving him away. They say they turned on Courser after he admitted in an online audio clip on Monday to sending an email with the fake message that Courser was caught having sex with a male prostitute in Lansing to deflect from his alleged affair with Gamrat.

Some in Lapeer are also talking about a recall of Courser.

ETA, Blackmail: the action, treated as a criminal offense, of demanding money from a person in return for not revealing compromising or injurious information about that person.

My impression is that he wasn't being blackmailed, he was being threatened to be exposed as a hypocrite (because of his affair) unless he resigned. Two very different things. One is extortion and the other is related to shining a light on bad actors in order for truth and transparency to rule (!).

Then again, there are the blackmailer's texts, which you can read about here from ML live :

http://www.mlive.com/lansing-news/index ... _todd.html

Oh, and Jimmy Fallon mocked Courser during his monologue on the Tonight show.....

:popcorn2: :popcorn2: :popcorn2:

[quiversR4hunting]

I heard the Jimmy Fallon sound bite. It was great.

Her husband looked less than pleased to be standing behind her. If I was in his shoes, I too would not want to be there. In fact, if I were him I might have stayed back and watched it with our priest. Our priest would help me not to break commandment #5.

Howl are you reading the comments on the mlive articles? many are funny!

[hoipolloi]

In which Todd Courser Jesus-splains everything: https://www.facebook.com/Toddformichiga ... 4922726510

[AnywhereButHere]

So, he was hoping that his followers would be so shocked and horrified over gay sex rumors, that when the true, sex with a woman version came out, they'd be so "relieved" the scandal would all just fade away? Yeah - good plan :roll: "Inoculate the herd" - nice respect you have for your constituents there. What a fuckwit.

[Howl]

In which Todd Courser Jesus-splains everything: https://www.facebook.com/Toddformichiga ... 4922726510

Excellent find!

Oh, Todd, puh-leeeeze!

He is being crucified (!) in the many, many comments, and people are seeing right through that wall o' text. The most compelling are those who who call him out for hiding behind the Bible and faith to avoid really taking responsibility.

Mr. Courser, your post saddens me a great deal, but not because of your actions. There is a serious lack of genuine repentance. A lot of chest-beating is going on, but no indication that you are going to turn away from your past behavior, no efforts to make amends to the taxpayers of your state or the staff members you wronged. By the articles of the faith we share, I am not condemning you, but I do not accept that any of this is remotely honest. When you do more than rend your clothes and heap ashes on your head, then maybe I will not longer doubt you. Until then, the people of Michigan will be better off with you out of office.

Interesting. He turns this into a defense of God, which is the source for his self righteousness. Apparently, he still needs to be "right" anyway he can.

Yikes! How about applying your Christian values and tenets to your personal, family and community life instead of using your distorted interpretation of scripture to hide your indiscretions? No one is attacking Christians or Christianity. By your wrapping yourself in the Christian cloak of righteous indignation YOU are besmirching the very faith you are trying to use in defending your shallow failings. Sheesh.

Who handles your Public Relations; PeeWee Herman? No one is blaming God for your mishaps - as I don't blame him for mine, but thanks for the scripture lesson. Be silent for a while and be with your family - at some point you are going to have to choose between Family or Politics. Save the most important one first.

But my favorite:

The biggest shock from this whole story is that you apparently think that Lansing has a prominent night club.

[Howl]

Josh Cline, a Courser/Gamrat aide who resigned this spring, is spillin' beans and telling about the office environment. Apparently these two were so far gone they didn't do much to try to hide it. Long and very inappropriate hugs, Thursday afternoon trysts, long hours in the office with the door closed. He confirmed that Gamrat's husband did find them out at a hotel.

Cline, who knew Courser for several years before joining his staff, said the lawmakers showed little respect for staffers' time and resources, comparing Courser to "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."

Courser, R-Lapeer, and Gamrat, R-Plainwell, would regularly miss meetings and "routinely disappear for hours at at time, especially on Thursdays after session, and then ask us to go get them dinner," he said.

Cline, who quit before Courser sent out a salacious email designed to distract from the potential revelation of the affair, declined to discuss whether the lawmakers misused taxpayer resources because he has not yet testified in the House probe.

He approached Courser and Gamrat in January, urging them to adopt a more professional relationship, Cline told reporters, noting he brought his concerns to the office of Speaker Kevin Cotter before he chose to resign.

Cline said Courser would often tell Gamrat how beautiful she was, interactions he called "excessively personal and quite awkward to witness." Courser would nap in Gamrat's office, Cline said, and she would "tuck him in" with a pillow and blanket.

Long-running rumors that Courser and Gamrat were caught by her husband at the Radisson hotel in downtown Lansing are "not an urban legend," according to Cline.

He said he received a call from Joe Gamrat on the morning of Feb. 11, saying that he'd seen Gamrat leave Courser's hotel room at roughly 2 a.m. That date appears to be around the time of Gamrat's anniversary, according to a February 10 Facebook post.

"When we arrived at work that morning, Cindy was a little bit late," Cline said. "She arrived disheveled and she smelled of alcohol."

Courser arrived a little later, he said, and "spent most of the day leaning on the cabinets in Rep. Gamrat's office" and appeared distraught.

Courser has a little bit different version:

Cline and Graham [another aide] were long-time family friends, Courser said in a 27-minute audio statement released last week. They started a political consulting firm out of his law office in Lapeer.

"They were first and foremost political operatives," Courser said. "They worked to advance a candidate, and on the other side, destroy somebody else's candidate. You can see inside of this there was a serious political component to the relationship there, and once it was severed, those actions and efforts were turned toward me."

Todd's facebook post today:

I am requesting an Attorney General investigation

Posted by Todd Courser on August 18, 2015

Today I am asking Attorney General, Bill Schuette, to investigate the purchase of the Capitol View Office building, which was over three times the market value, and to determine if any corruption of public officials was involved in the transaction and if so, how and who benefited. This is another example of men in power using the hand of government to enrich themselves or their friends at the expense of the taxpayers. It is a perfect example as to why people are absolutely sick and offended by the powerful political class of both parties stripping the wealth from the people's treasury for their own profit. I am asking for a full investigation into the process, the participants, and the use of state resources to purchase the building at a price vastly higher than market price.

I am also working on a statement in regards to this current call for my censure...

Something that pisses me off is that Todd Courser is using his personal facebook page for his political representation, or using his political facebook page to host pictures of his children when embroiled in an adulterous scandal.

[quiversR4hunting]

Apparently Cline (the aid mentioned above) had an Ashley Madison account for 3 years...

westmipolitics.blogspot.com/2015/08/breaking-coursergamrat-staffer-had.html?m=1&utm_content=buffer6f363&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

[Howl]

I"ve been keeping tabs on our favorite fornicating law makers!

Cindy and Todd have refused to resign from the MIchigan legislature, which might be due to their legislative salaries (to the tune of $71,685 each), money that comes from the taxpayers, who are calling for their heads.

They've returned to their offices and desks (presumably with renewed vigor!) on the floor when the legislature reconvened after summer break last Monday. Cindy wrote a letter of apology to both the Republican and Democratic caucuses. Earlier this year she was kicked out of the Republican Caucus because she leaked confidential caucus information (way to go, Cindy!), so they wouldn't allow Cindy to read it in person, but read her letter of apology aloud in closed session. The GOP in her home county proposed and passed, in her presence, a resolution asking her to resign.

The Michigan House has formed a committee to investigate if Cindy and Todd are fit to remain in office. I think the entire legislature realized immediately that both Cindy and Todd are Teavangelical PITAs and are secretly deliriously happy to have an excuse to get rid of them both.

Todd feels like a such a HUGE victim because of these "blackmail" texts that threatened to expose his affair unless he resigned and THAT forced him to sent out the false flag emails claiming he was a gay pervert. He was listening to "Eye of the Tiger" because when he's all stressed from being blackmailed, generally under attack, working like heck to keep his family together, nobody's listening to his extremely important messages about gas taxes and road funding, he's being investigated (and vilified!) even though he's got this IMPORTANT virulently conservative voting record, well, Phew! My goodness, who WOULDN"T feel like a victim under these circumstances. But Jesus is on his side, so there's that.

Cindy hired a private investigator to see who sent the "blackmail" texts and the name will likely be released tomorrow (Monday). It isn't anyone who Todd has accused. Hopefully, it isn't Cindy's husband, Joe.

Presumably they now have separate offices.

Cline being on Ashley Madison is icing on the cake!

[Howl]

From CBS News online:

Probe: Mich. lawmakers in sex scandal misused taxpayer resources

LANSING, Mich. -- An investigation into two Michigan Republican lawmakers who had an affair has found misconduct and misuse of taxpayer resources....Such a finding could lead to their expulsion from the Michigan House.

House Business Office Director Tim Bowlin said Monday in a news release that his office submitted a draft report on the preliminary findings involving Reps. Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat to outside counsel for review. The investigation was done to determine whether public resources were used to try and cover up the affair.

But, no, neither has indicated any willingness to resign -- because they are sucking up a nice state salary while holding the line on no new taxes. It's looking like they will both need $$$ to retain lawyers for their coming legal problems, which might (or might not) include divorce.