LANSING, Mich. (AP) - The latest on the release of a report describing misconduct by two Michigan lawmakers who had an affair (all times local):
10:30 p.m.
A Michigan lawmaker accused of misusing public resources and staff to hide an extramarital affair with another legislator says the investigation is a “political hit” and retribution for his conservative stances.
Republican Rep. Todd Courser says in a lengthy statement Monday night he hasn’t been allowed to see evidence, which wasn’t detailed in a report released in the afternoon. He says the report was “doctored.”
Courser says potential violations of campaign-finance law are referred to the secretary of state, but he’s “on the fast-track of expulsion.”
He says “disgruntled” staffers secretly recorded him and wonders if recordings were made at Republican House Speaker Kevin Cotter’s direction.
Cotter denies targeting Courser and says he was unaware of work issues concerning two of Courser and Rep. Cindy Gamrat’s aides who were fired.
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5:55 p.m.
An investigation alleges that misconduct by two Michigan lawmakers extended beyond trying to hide their extramarital affair from the public.
A House Business Office report released Monday accuses Republican Reps. Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat of combining office operations to “improperly and inextricably” entwine “political, personal, business and official state matters.”
The legislators had a policy of entering constituents’ contact information into a private political database for Courser’s potential congressional bid and Gamrat’s failed campaign for Republican National Committeewoman, according to the report.
The investigation also alleges that staff members were told to help develop or place Internet ads for Courser’s law firm.
A special House committee will begin hearings Tuesday to consider if Courser and Gamrat should be expelled or disciplined in another way.
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3:40 p.m.
The Michigan Democratic Party is criticizing the release of a “sanitized” House investigative report into an extramarital affair between two Republican lawmakers.
Chairman Brandon Dillon says Monday the probe is a summary of assertions without evidence. Democrats say there are unanswered questions about House Speaker Kevin Cotter’s office meeting with aides to Reps. Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat, who were later fired.
The staffers discussed problems in the legislators’ combined office with Cotter’s chief of staff.
The summary report says chief of staff Norm Saari may not have been given specific evidence by the aides but in hindsight had reason to further investigate.
Cotter spokesman Gideon D’Assandro says private emails from constituents were excluded from the report because releasing such data would be “incredibly irresponsible and potentially illegal.”
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3 p.m.
Michigan House Speaker Kevin Cotter says a six-member committee will meet Tuesday to consider evidence collected by the House Business Office against Republican Reps. Todd Courser of Lapeer and Cindy Gamrat of Plainwell.
They’re accused of misusing their office to cover up an extramarital affair and entwining “political, personal, business and official state matters.”
The six members of the committee are: Reps. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan; Kurt Heise, R-Plymouth Township; Rob VerHeulen, R-Walker; Andrea LaFontaine, R-Columbus Township; John Chirkun, D-Roseville; and Frank Liberati, D-Allen Park.
Courser and Gamrat could be expelled from the House.
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