EDITORIAL - Primary choice won’t be easy, but voters know their ABCs (From the 9-27-15 Lapeer County Press)

[William Gavette]

In a race that contains a record number of candidates, voters have their work cut out for them in preparing for the Nov. 3 special primary election ballot for Lapeer County’s 82nd House District seat.

Eleven republicans and three democrats whose names will crowd that ballot are vying for Lapeer County voters’ attention. In truly American style, voters have a plethora of choices and we think that’s a good thing. Competition is healthy and, from our perspective, voters have a few good and capable candidates to pick from and who can represent Lapeer County in Lansing with the decorum befitting the office and with loyalty to their constituents back home.

Over the next few weeks voters will have the opportunity to vet the candidates through write ups in this paper, personal encounters, campaign literature and at least one candidate forum.

Unfortunately, one candidate, who outside of his own bizarro world would not even be on the ballot, is still drawing the most attention. In defiance of logic and common sense, and apparently lacking a moral compass, Todd Courser chose to run for the very seat he resigned from two weeks ago in order avoid expulsion by his House peers following his illicit affair and cover-up sex scandal with his fellow far-right-nut-job and now ex-lover and ex-state rep Cindy Gamrat.

Since his resignation on Sept. 11, Courser has been courting the TV stations in Flint and Detroit — while eschewing the print media here in Lapeer County — giving his best snake-oil pitch to anyone who will stick a camera and microphone in his face. Courser seems to think if tells his story of persecution long enough and continues to tout his eight short and dysfunctional months in Lansing as the second-coming of Ron Paul loud enough, that voters will put him back in the office from which he resigned in disgrace.

Detroit’s Fox 2 TV station gave us another dose of cringe-inducing Todd TV on Thursday night when Courser appeared on the Let It Rip portion of their 11 p.m. newscast.

The contrition that Courser conjured up at the House Special Committee Hearing a few weeks ago now gone, he tapped-danced around questions from Fox 2’s Huel Perkins, Charlie LaDuff and Charlie Langton. Courser played the victim and reluctantly acknowledged that he had indeed confessed to the wrongdoing of the affair, attempted cover-up via the lewd false-flag email and misuse of state resources to hide the affair and promote his political ambitions.

Courser attempted to portray his leaving of office as expulsion, saying “I don’t think the expulsion was justified.” While Courser’s expulsion may have been imminent, Courser in fact resigned. Consistent with his true character, Courser tried to twist the facts and bend the story to his liking.

In the most rankling sequence, when confronted by LaDuff about the cost of the special elections needed following his resignation, Courser said, “Well, I’m not costing extra money.”

That statement is either a bald-faced lie or demonstrates, again, Courser’s lack of knowledge of the process and lack of respect for the electorate.

While it is true that a Nov. 3 election in Lapeer County would have happened anyway, to elect city and county commissioners and decide local ballot issues, Lapeer County Clerk Theresa Spencer estimates the additional cost of the special primary for preparation, ballot printing — several iterations of the ballots are required due to the added House seat and number of candidates — tallying and validating the vote will be $100,000 to $120,000 for which Lapeer County will foot the bill.

Thanks, Todd. You’ve screwed us again.

So, why do we keep bringing up Courser, when we, like so many of you, are sick and tired of seeing, hearing and talking about him? Because we want to make sure every voter in Lapeer County knows and remembers come November 3rd how this narcissistic, holier-than-thou hypocrite betrayed our trust and continues to pile on utter disrespect and cost while feigning penance and pretending to be a conservative “friend” of Lapeer County.

Don’t buy it. Todd Courser cares about one thing and one thing only and that is Todd Courser.

When it comes to choosing your candidate for House representative on Nov. 3, remember your ABCs: Anyone But Courser.

Link to Original Article - http://thecountypress.mihomepaper.com/node/174935?pk_campaign=Newsl...