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

[Howl]

Well, it's over. After a very long night of multiple votes, Todd Courser resigned from the MIchigan House of Representatives and Cindy Gamrat was expelled.

Investigations will continue, having to do with who knew what and when, and also the state police continue to investigate the "blackmail" texts sent from a burn phone.

It is a hot sad mess. Todd Courser, who is is own best frenemy, still feels like people were out to get him and seemed unable to accept full responsibility. Cindy is shocked and sad. She thought she had cut a deal to get censure rather than expulsion, except, it turns out, nobody thought that but her.

Both Todd and Cindy can say buh-bye to their respective $80,000/year paychecks. They may be on the hook to pay back their mis-use of public funds. It sucks to be them today, but they continued to call for ammunition and kept reloading after shooting themselves in the feet.

Yesterday on FB, Todd said that he

would appreciate your prayers all day today, just that God's Hand would move in all of this to His end for His Honor and glory

Hope he understands that god spoke loud and clear the he should get out of politics.

[Howl]

Todd and Cindy are the poster children for star-crossed lovers. Shakespeare would be in awe.

[AmazonGrace]

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

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

Wait, what? He declared himself competent to say that God was gonna give him, and a couple of other guys he liked, the right to be in the office?

I thought that in a democracy the right comes from the voters.

[Howl]

Wait, what? He declared himself competent to say that God was gonna give him, and a couple of other guys he liked, the right to be in the office?

I thought that in a democracy the right comes from the voters.

I think only Todd and Ted Cruz rise to that level of "god gave me the right to govern"

arrogance, except maybe Huckabee, but Huckabee doesn't come right out and say it.

Of course, Trump rises to other levels of arrogance but he would never share the credit with god or anybody else.

After using face book to post long screeds about god and politics and all his problems over the last weeks, today Todd Courser posted a cute doggie video. A big dog and a puppy were having a tug of war. I was wondering if maybe one of his kids posted it.

[AmazonGrace]

The report was 833 pages, but Todd thinks it was too short:

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/exre ... y/35242058

"They did it with 833 pages of information that was dropped to the house members 48 hours before the voting so the house members were voting on something that had not even for the most part even attempted to go through and read. [it was] a really shoddy investigative report if you spend any time with it, and really it’s a lot of allegations but not a lot of substantial evidence when it comes to the misuse of tax-payer funds. It kind of centers around really the political whims that I faced."

"I was assuming that they were going to be going through another couple weeks of hearings and bring forth the evidence from the report of 833 pages."

I guess more was owed to his consequence.

He only stole a little so it doesn't count:

He said that the amount of tax-payer funds that were misused would be minor. He said that in rare occasions it would be a misdemeanor and would not be grounds for expulsion.

http://www.freep.com/story/opinion/2015 ... /72243982/

An open letter to former Michigan state Reps. Cindy Gamrat and Todd Courser….

Dear Cindy and Todd:

First off, I think you two make an awesome couple. Cute and funny and so politically aligned with each other that you might as well be the same person. Compatibility is important, don’t you think?

OK, sure, there’s the little problem with you guys being, you know, married to other people and, yeah, having children with those same other people. But, come on, you were discreet in your midnight dalliances at those downtown Lansing hotels and, really, who got hurt?

Besides, I think we all know you guys were just conducting the business of the people who voted for you and who entrusted you to watch out for their interests. I admire both of you for taking your job so seriously that you would continue to legislate even late into the night.

[nokidsmom]

Going to be interesting to see what becomes of these two. Resignation and being tossed out might be the least of their problems.

[AmazonGrace]

I wonder if God gave him the right to misuse state funds too.

[quiversR4hunting]

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!

If anyone hadn't heard the blackmail came from good ole' Todd himself.

[Howl]

You know how sometimes god answers a prayer when you haven't even asked for anything? Like you look out your front window and there is a PONY on the lawn and you hadn't even prayed for a pony? Not a stumpy and shaggy Shetland pony, but a sleek perfect pony that will eat sugar cubes out of your hand and nuzzle your neck with her velvety nose and never, ever bite you. Yeah, like that.

John Oliver just delivered that pony to my front lawn and if you look out your front window, there will be a pony for you too. Pure gold.

(lots of F word action so potentially NSFW, depending on your co-workers, or maybe your supervisor)

[bBvideo 560,340:n4g2usi7]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjLHga6NumU[/bBvideo]

You're welcome!

[AmazonGrace]

http://www.wxyz.com/news/interview-form ... esignation

Video interview

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/todd ... n/35267002

Why resign then?

"It was time. I felt that with all my heart," said Courser.

Question: It wasn't a desperate attempt to save face?

Courser: "No, I was fine."

Question: You didn't want to be that guy, the first in 18 years to be expelled?

Courser: "It wouldn't have bothered me in the slightest."

[Howl]

This guy just can't give it up. On facebook, he posted a link to an article about orphan bills that are left sponsorless with his exit. The article lists Cindy's abandoned bills as well.

Lots of tax cutting, reducing restrictions on gun sales, making sure clergy aren't forced to perform gay weddings even though no clergy has been forced to perform gay weddings ever, fetal personhood -- the Teavangelical party line. Todd is still going on about the gas tax. With the John Oliver vid, he is now not just a local or state joke, but a national joke. This man has no shame.

He seems unable to accept responsibility for his actions or understand why his many weird actions are a problem. If only he hadn't received those darn blackmail texts.....

[AmazonGrace]

http://fox17online.com/2015/09/15/forme ... to-fox-17/

"Everyone has had that one boss that they didn't like, they didn't get along with, that was terrible to them," said Allard. "There's something very gratifying about watching that boss get fired on live television."

...

"I'd hesitate to give Todd advice given that he's never listened to it in the past, but I think in this time it's best that he steps away from the media, step away from the Facebook and spend some time apologizing to his family."

[Crocoduck]

I was in Michigan last week when Courser resigned and Gamrat was expelled. The tangled web they wove was so complicated, it took me 4 or 5 NPR segments to figure it all out! My number 1 takeaway on this is that those two are real dumb! It frightens me to see such clueless morons elected to public office. :o

[VodouDoll]

Yeah, I don't know what her deal is but he...might well be a sociopath.

[Howl]

Going to be interesting to see what becomes of these two. Resignation and being tossed out might be the least of their problems.

Well, as it turns out, Todd & Cindy are going to run for their own seats again. The special primary to fill his vacant seat is Nov. 3rd. Because he resigned, he is eligible to do this. There will be 8 others in the Republican primary, including a woman who was narrowly beaten by Todd in the original election.

Cindy is doing the same thing, but because she was expelled, she technically would not be eligible to run until her original term is up. But she'll do it anyway 'cause Tea Party and the extremely important bills she sponsored, like making sure clergy don't have to marry gay people.

Eclectablog led out with this:

#Facepalm: Philandering, lying tea partier Todd Courser to run for seat he quit seven days ago

On the heels of Republican Cindy Gamrat filing to run for the House seat her colleagues threw her out of in the wee hours of the morning last Friday, her beau former colleague, Todd Courser, today announced that he, too, will run in the Republican primary for the seat he quit just seven days ago.

He made the announcement today on CNN saying that his wife, who he claims hates him, told him to go ahead. “It really was up to my wife,†he said in the CNN interview. “Yesterday, she gave me to go ahead. She said yes, run. She said the people haven’t had the opportunity to weigh in on this.â€

She's probably desperate to get his obnoxious self out of the house and back in Lansing.

Again, Eclectablog:

It’s worth noting that these two self-described fiscal conservatives and hopeless narcissists are costing their districts large sums of money:

So much for fiscal conservatism.

[AmazonGrace]

Don't be so harsh, they said they're sorry so it's OK now, right?

[AmazonGrace]

Henderson: Courser, Gamrat think constituents are suckers

http://www.freep.com/story/opinion/colu ... /72404844/

Neither had much of a substantive agenda, mind you, beyond braying about the standard ultra-right social issues. Neither seemed likely to come up with the politically salable solution to road funding, or to re-imagine school funding in a more rational way.

They loved the empty, ideological legislative gesture, both of them. Courser signed onto a concurrent resolution that called on the U.S. Supreme Court to “recognize its limited historic role.†I’m sure the justices appreciated the guidance.

Both Courser and Gamrat signed onto a resolution to “confirm and support†the right of Michigan parents to homeschool their kids. Of course, no one’s talking about taking away the right of parents to homeschool, but … maybe fighting ideological ghosts really is a great legislative calling.

So, will God give Todd the right to govern sign useless resolutions again?

From his fakebook:

I have been asked if I would run for State Representative. My wife and I spent some time yesterday in North Branch Park discussing this. 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.â€

Today, I am announcing my candidacy for State Representative for the 82nd District. I felt you needed to see the Conservative work that I accomplished as your State Representative. In my campaign, I promised to not vote for any tax increase or spending increase and that I would fight against ever growing government – many Republicans say such things to get elected; I said it and did it. I have kept those promises. In this new campaign I renew those commitments to you.

He proudly presents some of his legislative efforts:

8. Sponsored a Constitutional Amendment to make it illegal to enter into a federal healthcare exchange – an effort to stop the implementation of Obamacare in Michigan

25. Drafting legislation to close Medicaid enrollment to new enrollees

Vote for Todd and pray to stay healthy :P

[Howl]

Wow, excellent summary of the entire fiasco by Stephen Henderson and definitely worth a read.

Although I'd find it commendable if either or both of these yahoos managed to somehow repair their marriages (for the sake of their children, if nothing else), they really do deserve each other, and I don't mean that in a positive way.

I thought that the inspirational facebook conversation Todd supposedly had with his wife is bullsh*t. That doesn't sound like an actual conversation that ever occurred between spouses - it's more like a Hallmark movie conversation with violins swelling in the background.

"Oh, Todd darling, you MUST run for office again! The people's chance to hear your important message about fiscal responsibility and no tax increases was cut short, much too short."

Todd embraces his wife, and looking over her shoulder into the distance, hears the clarion call to go back, back to Lansing. Or is that the sound of geese honking on the lake? Anyway,

"Yes, my darling" says Todd, raising his fist into the air, "I will. I WILL RUN AGAIN!"

[AmazonGrace]

LOL LOL

Todd, not you.

I had the same thought, that's why I wrote fakebook :shifty-kitty: Although I thought it probably was his head that was swelling and not the violins :D I mean, wasn't this the same wife he cheated on for months with some legislative blonde? And she's really going to look up at her disgraced scandalous cheater bastard husband adoringly, and say, "DAH-ling, I love your Conservative voting record... you have accomplished so much good in your term of service..."? She'll nod supportingly and say that voters should decide based on his track record and not mean it in a snarky way? "Hope you wore a condom on your Conservative Legislation..."

[AmazonGrace]

"I think in a five- or six-way race there's enough insanity in the Republican party to see them back in Lansing," said Joe DiSano of Democratic political consulting firm DiSano Strategies.

Filing ended at 4 p.m. Friday. There are eight Republicans running in Gamrat's former 82nd district primary and 11 Republicans running in Courser's former 80th district primary. Those are big numbers, and could split the vote against the two representatives.

John Truscott, the Republican half of bipartisan of strategic communications agency Truscott Rossman, said that there is also the possibility of low turnout to consider. This is a special election in an off-year, so people aren't used to getting out and voting for state representative. That, combined with a crowded primary field, could help Courser and Gamrat.

"You're almost to the point that if all their family and friends showed up and voted for them, it's possible," Truscott said.

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

[AmazonGrace]

For Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat, it's all about Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat

http://michiganradio.org/post/todd-cour ... t#stream/0

Last week, Off the Record, the only public affairs TV show that focuses on state government, had as its guest once again Todd Courser, who made it clear that he is reveling in all this, like any other emotional four year old would do. One of the very first things he said was “this is my first worldwide sex scandal and cover-up.â€

It wasn’t clear if he was trying to be funny.

However, this does show that he is guilty of megalomania way beyond the norm. I doubt if anyone in London, Paris or Los Angeles has even heard of the tawdry misbehaviors of a couple obscure Michigan lawmakers, and I’d be astonished if anyone outside this state cares. Almost nobody thinks they are fit for office.

[nokidsmom]

The hubris is just off the charts with these two. They really do deserve each other.

Todd comes off as nuts. Cindy is downright delusional.

I wonder how either of their spouses can even stand to look at them.

[Howl]

Todd on his facebook page has copies of his public office filing forms showing a street address, and cell land line numbers. Hopefully, it is his office address and not his home information.

Plus, he just cannot get why people from all over are leaving hateful comments on his facebook page. It is just a mystery to him.

Todd has a weird history. In his past race, there were flyers posted around town with this message: is Todd Courser a child molester? There was a LOT of speculation that Todd posted these messages himself to generate sympathy among voters, to appear to be a victim of dirty politics. Seems awfully similar to sending out a false flag email, n'est-ce pas?

There were also episodes of very official looking notices appearing on the yard signs of his opponents' supporters, claiming that the signs were illegal (they weren't) and had to be removed ASAP. Again, speculation was that Todd was the culprit.

[quiversR4hunting]

Today Todd and Cindy are up for election. They are BOTH running for their former seats.   The money waste is awful to do these elections and if they get back in then those 2 districts deserve what they get! I hope they loose in a spectacular fashion.

http://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2015/10/30/special-elections-costly-lapeer-allegan-counties/74889456/

About the field of candidates from the article:

Meanwhile, there are 11 Republicans, including Courser, and three Democrats running for the 82nd district seat in the House and eight Republicans, including Gamrat, and one Democrat running for the 80th district House seat.

[Howl]

We DVD  20/20 and today when I checked the topic it is titled A Capitol Offense featuring non other than our favorite conservative family values adulterous fornicators (and failed politicians), Todd and Cindy.  

It was too awesome.  Sadly, Cindy and her husband are divorcing, and her current cause is victims of surveillance abuse, 'cause her husband was surveillance stalking her during her affair with Todd.  

Todd and wife are trying to resuscitate their marriage; she couldn't look at the camera at times -- I suspect she is still incredibly pissed. 

I swear that Cindy and Todd have never truly, deeply accepted that they were the authors of their own demise. 

And Todd mentioned that some of the people criticizing him were "almost demonic" in their intensity, because immediately alienating the entire Michigan legislature right off the bat by being an arrogant Tea Party a**,  being a family values Christian having a torrid affair, orchestrating an email campaign to discredit yourself as a closeted gay having indiscriminate sex behind nightclubs to try to make the affair less damaging, firing your aides when the problems is that you were emotionally unstable, misusing state funds and then forcing the entire legislature to meet and eject your from your office rather than resign, then wasting county funds by running for your vacated seat are not sufficient cause for criticism and  ridicule. 

http://abc.go.com/shows/2020/listing/2016-01/22-012216-a-capitol-offense