Two Michigan state representatives caught in a bizarre tale to cover up their affair were bounced from their jobs early Friday, reports the Detroit News. At about 4 a.m., the state House of Representatives voted 91-12 to oust state Rep. Cindy Gamrat for misconduct involving her extramarital affair with Rep. Todd Courser — one hour after Courser abruptly resigned. Their departures came five weeks after the News revealed the existence of audio recordings of Courser orchestrating a scheme to cover up their affair by spreading a phony diversionary story that he was caught having sex with a male prostitute.
Gamrat became just the fourth lawmaker to be expelled from the Legislature. She and Courser, both freshman Republicans, fought long and hard to keep their positions. Gamrat made a final plea for censure rather than expulsion shortly before she was ousted. “I have done everything I can to redeem this situation and I am sincerely sorry for what it’s caused,” Gamrat said. “And I don’t know know what else I could have done more.”