LANSING, Mich. – A judge has dismissed charges against a former Michigan lawmaker while ordering another ex-legislator to stand trial after they were forced from office in a sex scandal.
Lansing District Judge Hugh Clarke Jr. ruled Tuesday there's not enough probable cause for tea party conservative Cindy Gamrat to face felony misconduct in office charges. But he said Republican former Rep. Todd Courser will go to trial on two of four counts.
Clarke tossed two other charges against Courser.
Courser and Gamrat had an extramarital affair.
Courser resigned last September, and Gamrat became the fourth legislator to ever be expelled.
Courser has admitted to devising an explicit phony email that said he had been caught having sex with a male prostitute behind a Lansing nightclub. He explained that he thought his tale would make the affair less plausible if it was revealed by an anonymous extortionist who sent him and Gamrat text messages demanding that they resign.
Whistleblowers who witnessed the alleged misconduct and staffers that were asked to participate in the cover-up.
Read: Courser says charges are sign of 'corrupt government'
Read: Cindy Gamrat's husband was 'blackmailer'