TODD COURSER v. KEITH ALLARD; BENJAMIN GRAHAM; JOSHUA CLINE - Articles

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TODD COURSER v. KEITH ALLARD; BENJAMIN GRAHAM; JOSHUA CLINE

Posted by: Tanja Trezise on Aug 10, 2020

Court: 6th Circuit Court (Published Opinions)

Attorneys 1: ARGUED: Matthew S. DePerno, DEPERNO LAW OFFICE, Portage, Michigan, for Appellant. Sarah Riley Howard, PINSKY, SMITH, FAYETTE & KENNEDY, LLP, Grand Rapids, Michigan, for Appellees Allard and Graham.

Attorneys 2: ON BRIEF: Matthew S. DePerno, DEPERNO LAW OFFICE, Portage, Michigan, for Appellant. Sarah Riley Howard, H. Rhett Pinsky, PINSKY, SMITH, FAYETTE & KENNEDY, LLP, Grand Rapids, Michigan, for Appellees Allard and Graham. >

Judge(s): MOORE, CLAY, and McKEAGUE, Circuit Judges

Court Appealed: Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan at Grand Rapids

KAREN NELSON MOORE, Circuit Judge. Todd Courser was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives. His affair with fellow-representative Cindy Gamrat and his related misconduct lost him that office. Courser, however, does not see himself as the source of his misfortunes and instead alleges that the Defendants—Keith Allard, Benjamin Graham, and Joshua Cline—conspired together and with the Michigan House of Representatives to remove him from office. Each Defendant worked for Courser and Gamrat as their legislative aides. Two of them, Allard and Graham, went to the press to expose Courser’s and Gamrat’s affair, Courser’s attempted coverup, and Courser’s misuse of his public office for political and personal purposes. The Detroit News coverage prompted the Michigan House of Representatives to issue a report and hold a hearing on the allegations. Courser resigned before he could be expelled.

This case is one of several that Courser and Gamrat have filed against various persons that they believe conspired against them to end their political careers. For the reasons that follow, we AFFIRM the district court’s judgment of dismissal of all claims against all Defendants

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