An MLive story written by Jonathan Oosting this morning reports State Reps. Cindy Gamrat and Todd Courser are being investigated for using their staff members to help them cover up their alleged personal affair with each other.

Kevin Cotter, speaker of the House, ordered the probe after the Detroit News published “raw and transcribed audio recorded by former House aide Ben Graham,” who had worked for Courser until he was fired in July, when Gamrat also discharged aide Keith Allard.

Gamrat (R-Plainwell) represents the 80th District, which takes in most of Allegan County, including Martin, Hopkins and Watson townships. Courser (R-Lapeer) is a fellow member of the Tea Party.

It was alleged that Courser told aide Graham to send a fake e-mail about himself to Republican operatives, alleging that the lawmaker had been caught having sex with a male prostitute behind a Lansing nightclub. The e-mail was an intentionally outlandish “smear campaign” designed to blunt any claims about a relationship between him and Gamrat, Courser said on one recording, making them seem “tame by comparison.”

Graham apparently refused to take part in the alleged coverup and recorded a conversation May 21 with Courser and Gamrat in her taxpayer-funded House office in Lansing. Both legislators, who are are married and have children, apologized to Graham, who asked them about their alleged affair. They did not dispute it.

Courser and Gamrat have shared resources and staff since taking office in January. Graham and Allard had received raises earlier in the year before they were terminated in July. Gamrat told The Detroit News she would not discuss “staff-related issues.” Courser confirmed his voice on one of the tapes but questioned the legality of the recording itself.

Gamrat earlier this year was removed from a budget committee by Cotter, who accused her of breaking rules of confidentiality. She lost her bid to fill an open Republican National Committeeewoman’s seat May 10.

Gamrat also has been associated politically with former State Rep. Dave Agema, who has been criticized for racist and homophobic remarks, and she invited him to be guest speaker at a Tea Party pow wow last January at the Soaring Eagle Casino.

Gamrat won the GOP primary a year ago with 41 percent of the vote in a four-candidate race. Fellow Republicans Mary Whiteford had 29 percent, followed by Allegan Township Supervisor Steve Schulz and Randy Brinks. She won the general election last November handily over her Democratic opponent.

Steve McNeal, chairman of the Allegan County Republican Party, called on Gamrat to resign, asserting it is “apparent that Cindy Gamrat has proven to be unfit to represent the hard-working residents of Allegan County, using taxpayer dollars to abide and assist her gross misconduct.

Being an elected office holder requires very high moral character and ethical behavior to properly represent your constituents. Ms. Gamrat has clearly violated the public trust placed in her, and therefore I must demand that she resign immediately.”

Area Republican Party activist Gerry Hildebrand of Plainwell wrote in an e-mail to Whiteford this morning:

“As a Republican activist and veteran of the United States military, I believe a violation of the public trust is very serious and should be dealt with aggressively. In light of the recent revelations that Rep. Gamrat has violated the trust of ‘We the People’ of Allegan county by using our tax dollars to conceal an extramarital affair with fellow State Rep. Todd Courser, I am calling on her to resign her seat effective immediately.

For an even more detailed report of this development, go to: http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2015/08/06/recordings-state-rep-asked-aide-hide-relationship/31269315/