House Creates Committee to Consider Expelling Gamrat, Courser

Pleasant, told reporters after session on Wednesday.

“I don’t think that is at all productive at this point”.

Michigan lawmakers are adjourning for the week without a $1.2 billion road-funding deal.

The House voted on the resolution with Courser on the floor.

“If we’re going to use general fund dollars to fix the roads, we should identify now where those cuts could come from”, he said. The business office could levy punishment – such as demanding reimbursement to the state for any inappropriately used state funds. “Others may say the irreparable harm that has been caused to this body may exist and will only improve if disciplinary matters are pursued”.

Courser, R-Lapeer, sat on the House floor as other members voted on the resolution that named him. He declined to comment. Gamrat, R-Plainwell, did not appear to be on the floor at the time of introduction.

Cotter ordered the investigation on Aug. 7 hours after The Detroit News first reported on Courser’s failed scheme to conceal his relationship with Gamrat by distributing a fictional email story claiming he was caught having sex with a male prostitute behind a Lansing nightclub.

Courser, who spoke with MLive earlier Wednesday over lunch, has alleged that he was under intense pressure from a blackmailer who was sending him anonymous text messages threatening to expose the affair if he did not resign.

Whether it will conduct its own investigation, or more likely review the results of the probe by the House Business Office remains unclear. He has questioned what and when Cotter knew about the situation and has suggested his former aides were out to get him. House Minority Leader Tim Greimel says he didn’t like not knowing exactly which agencies would lose that money.

In a news conference last week, Gamrat offered apologies to her family and constituents, and followed up this week with letters of apology to the leadership of the Democratic and Republican caucuses.

They may recommend what next steps are in order, whether punishment or a criminal investigation by an outside source is warranted, and whether to proceed with expulsion, which has rarely been applied in the state’s history.