LAPEER, Mich. -- Former state Rep. Todd Courser spoke to FOX 17 about the controversy that led to his resignation from the state House last week.
Courser, R-Lapeer, resigned, and Rep. Cindy Gamrat, R-Plainwell, was expelled after a House Business Office investigation showed they misused resources of their taxpayer-funded offices to cover up their affair.
"You can talk about the political winds of Lansing and now that I'm freed from it, I can tell you a huge weight came off," he said.
The investigation was started after audio recordings obtained by the Detroit News revealed Courser was planning to distribute a fictional email alleging he had sex with a male prostitute in order to hide his relationship with Gamrat.
He submitted his resignation just after 3 a.m. Friday following what had been 14 hours of deadlock and two initial failed votes to expel him.
Courser told FOX 17 Tuesday that he feels bad about what he put his and Gamrat's families through."
"There was a lot of hurt, and I'd totally been worn down as I walked out of the building after I resigned without saying anything," Courser said. "I just walked out. But as I did that, really, there was a huge weight lifted off of me. And spiritually, a huge weight. Also politically. So there was some good inside of that."
Courser said he does not rule out a return to politics at some point, but he said for now he is focusing on healing with his family.
