LANSING, Mich. -- Thursday started as an otherwise normal day for state lawmakers, except for the fact they had two fewer colleagues in the House.
However, Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat haven't been forgotten just yet. Gamrat file Thursday to run for the seat her House colleagues expelled her from.
"I think it's unfortunate, frankly," said state Rep. Tom Barrett of Vermonville. "I think these representatives have some work to do on their own families. I think it would make sense for them to stay home and repair their relationships with their own families and repair the relationships that they've damaged."
"Now that the two troublesome members of the House are gone, we look forward getting down to brass tacks and addressing what everyone in the state knows needs to be our highest priority, and that’s fixing our state’s roads," state Rep. Tim Greimel, the Democratic House minority leader said to FOX 17 early Thursday afternoon before news broke that Gamrat is going to throw her hat back in the ring
"They’re gone, and that’s yesterday’s news as far as I’m concerned," said Democratic state Rep. John Chirkun.
The affair and attempted cover-up involving Gamrat and Courser have dominated the headlines for weeks, while other important issues seem to have put on the back burner. This at a time when there is serious business at hand and work to be done.
Shortly after Gamrat announced her decision to run again, Barrett said Courser and Gamrat violated the public’s trust, and he doesn't think the people in their districts will vote to send them back to Lansing again.
I ran into other lawmakers who declined to comment, including House Speaker Kevin Cotter. He said he's not saying anything on the matter at this point.
