Lansing stalemate continues in Courser expulsion vote

LANSING - A State House sex scandal stalemate continues in Lansing.Republicans want to expel one of their own, Rep. Todd Courser (R- Lapeer) but Democrats are holding up the vote.

It is the latest fallout from the affair between Courser and State Rep. Cindy Gamrat (R-Plainwell). It was followed by Courser's attempt to cover it up with an anonymous email claiming he was paying for sex with a male prostitute.

There are 26 Democrats are refusing to vote as the House continues in session into the late night hours at the Capitol in Lansing. The magic number is 73 needed to approve House Resolution 139. There are currently 67 voting yes.

Rep. Frank Liberati (D-Allen Park) is one of the 26 abstaining. He and many others declining to vote, say they want a full investigation with subpoena power.

"Public trust and confidence was shaken when we're striking testimony of a relevant witness," Liberati said. "Questions are ruled out of order, shut down. Where some of us think they are relevant, I understand we were overruled. The biggest is the subpoena. The subpoena is granted us in the Constitution if we want to use it.

"I'm just looking for a little (bit) of legitimacy in these proceedings. Let's just put it out there. All the subpoena does is get them in those seats. If they want to declare, then that's their opportunity."

As of 11 p.m. both the Republicans and Democrats have gone into caucuses.

FOX 2 will have continuing coverage of this developing story.