2 lawmakers forced from office over affair face charges

– Felony charges of misconduct in office have been filed against former State Representatives Cindy Gamrat and Todd Courser, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announced Friday with the Michigan State Police. Courser was also charged with one count of felony perjury related to testimony he gave to the Michigan House of Representatives while under oath.

If found guilty of misconduct the punishment could be up to 5 years per charge.

A state report past year found the pair abused their office for personal and political reasons. “With the filing of these charges, it is my hope that citizens of MI see that no one is above the law, not even those who walk in the halls of power”. That charge carries a 15-year sentence.

The conservative Republicans were accused of using taxpayer resources to cover up a freakish sex scandal. It’s called trust, it’s called judgement, it’s called honesty.

Atty. Gen. Bill Schuette dropped the bombshell at a Lansing news briefing, where he said arrest warrants are issued for the two past politicians. “And, worse yet, worse yet, we allege – and we will prove in court, beyond a reasonable doubt – that they broke the law”.

The charges were filed Friday morning in Ingham County.

One count of perjury, for lying under oath while testifying before a special House committee about letting an aide forge his signature.

Gamrat is charged with lying to investigators in an effort to cover-up the affair.

The affair emerged last summer and quickly developed into a political scandal.

Graham was sacked after refusing to send the email, and subsequently sent secret audio recordings of the conversation to the Detroit News. While the aide refused and the email was likely legal, the plot was unethical and showed a “callous lack of respect” for the public, according to the investigation.

Courser resigned on September 11, hours before he was likely to be kicked out of the GOP-led House.

“Neither charge calls into question the misuse of taxpayer resources, the alleged reason she was expelled” from the Legislature, Baker said in a statement, adding Gamrat will vigorously defend herself.