The 80th District 
in the Michigan Legislature is without a representative. Hopkins, Martin and Watson townships are without representation in Lansing.
State Rep. Cindy Gamrat (R-Plainwell) was expelled in the early morning hours Friday by a House vote of 91 to 12. A minimum of 72 legislators among 109 possible, or two-thirds, was needed for expulsion.
There were only 109 voters because earlier in the morning State Rep. Todd Courser (R-Lapeer) resigned to head off expulsion at the pass. Courser and Gamrat were accused for more than a month of abusing their offices by trying to cover up an extra-marital affair.
The moves in a locked down chamber in the State Capitol were somewhat surprising. The first vote on expelling Courser fell short of the two-thirds minimum, as did a second.
Meanwhile, it appeared that Gamrat may have been severely censured rather than expelled, at the recommendation of the House Business Office attorney. However, a special committee Thursday morning recommended her expulsion before a full vote of the House was taken.
There were reports the deadlock was broken when Republican House Speaker Kevin Cotter agreed to have the office of Attorney General Bill Schuette investigate the affair, which satisfied a number of Democrats who had been abstaining.
This prompted Courser, the perceived ringleader in the affair coverup, to resign, but Gamrat decided to allow the full House to take a vote. Her gamble didn’t pay off.
Gamrat has indicated she made a deal last Tuesday to sign an admission of guilt in exchange for reduction of her penalty from expulsion to censure. House officials insist no such agreement was made.
The Detroit News broke the story about the affair and alleged coverup on Aug. 7 and Lansing and much of the nation have been abuzz since. The House Business office was ordered by Cotter to launch an investigation as a result, alleging the two misused their staff for political purposes and the coverup.
The matter came to a head Thursday when the full House took a committee recommendation of expulsion for a full vote.
Gamrat, like Courser, was elected as a Republican by plurality in the August 2014 primary and then cruised past Democrats in the November general election. Gamrat got 41 percent of the vote among four candidates, Courser won with 39% in his district.
Though their districts are not close geographically, the two freshman lawmakers combined their offices and staffs in January, maintaining it would save money.
A special election will have to be held to fill the vacancy created by Gamrat’s expulsion. It’s probably too soon to have it in November, but there is speculation it will take place in the March Michigan Presidential Preference Primary. Mary Whiteford, a Republican from South Haven, already has announced her candidacy.
Gamrat’s expulsion was only the fourth such incidence in the 178-year history of the Michigan House of Representatives.
