Michigan state House Speaker Kevin Cotter may have to testify during court proceedings in the criminal case against former Michigan state representatives Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat, who left the legislature last year after attempting to cover up their affair.
The Tea Party representatives were hit with felony charges for allegedly lying to state officials about their extramarital affair together.
Courser’s alleged affair with Gamrat came to light last year after Courser made up a fake gay sex scandal in order to cover up the affair. He later claimed that he leaked that he was spotted with a male prostitute in order to expose blackmailers.
The allegations prompted an investigation by legislative staff, and Michigan state House Republicans tried to oust both representatives. Courser resigned before a final vote on his expulsion, and Gamrat was expelled following lengthy proceedings on the House floor.
A judge on Thursday ruled that Cotter can be forced to testify next week in probable cause hearings, the Detroit News reported. The attorneys for Courser and Gamrat have been pushing for Cotter to testify on the stand, but the speaker had invoked legislative immunity in an attempt to keep from publicly testifying.
District Judge Hugh B. Clarke, Jr., ruled that Cotter can be compelled to testify about statements he made to law enforcement officials, but not about comments he made on the House floor or how he voted on expelling them from the legislature.
Courser and Gamrat have claimed that Cotter attempted to oust them from the Michigan legislature for political reasons.
