MICHIGAN -- In a 1,900-word Facebook post this weekend , embattled conservative Rep. Todd Courser, R-Lapeer, issued a confessional of sorts laden with scripture verses on sin and asked for forgiveness following his alleged extramarital affair and admitted involvement in a bizarre plot to cover it up.
"In all of this – it is nothing short of a massive earthquake for me and my family," Courser wrote in a Facebook post Saturday. "I am now the poster boy for those who would say 'God is dead,' or 'Christians are failures,' or 'Christians are hypocrites.' Instantly I have been shown to be a hypocrite in my life, a liar, a laughable joke."
Courser thanked those who have supported him while he addressed those who have felt the need to "pile on your words of condemnation" and asked them to direct criticism at him personally and not at his family.
"The most brutal things I have had to endure in my life have been brought from and thru this experience," he wrote.
Courser has since admitted to being responsible for cooking up a story that he had been caught having sex with a male prostitute to divert attention away from his affair with fellow conservative Rep. Cindy Gamrat, R-Plainwell.
On August 10, Courser issued a rambling audio statement apologizing for the affair while saying had had no plans to resign. The lawmaker claims he's a victim of a blackmail attempt by what he called "the Lansing mafia," including his former staffers. Two of his staff were fired in July; a third quit in August.
Both Gamrat and Courser are being investigated by the House Business Office to determine whether they improperly used taxpayer staff and resources in their attempts to cover up their affair.
In a press conference on August 14, Gamrat denied any role in the coverup and said she had no plans to resign. She also said the firings of staffers Keith Allard and Ben Graham were due to poor work performance and complaints from constituents, not because of her "personal indiscretions."
"I look forward to cooperating with any investigation to ensure that taxpayers are protected and faith in our institutions can be restored," Allard said Friday in a statement to FOX 17. "Most important, an investigation will reveal the truth. There is absolutely no truth to the accusations against me by Mrs. Gamrat, as will be proven."
The third staffer who quit in April, Joshua Cline, has scheduled his own press conference for 3 p.m. Monday in Metro Detroit to "tell the inside story of what happened" in the the lawmakers' office.
