This is not an Onion headline. The funny thing about Tea Party “traditional marriage” activists is the frequency with which they are exposed as blatant hypocrites. In one of the more amusing cases to come to light, Republican state Representatives Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat have been caught cheating on their spouses with each other- and for arranging evidence that Courser was having a relationship with a gay man in order to distract attention from themselves.

That’s right: Courser used his aides to create a false smear email campaign that alleged that Courser had been caught behind a nightclub having sex with a man. After his and Gamrat’s aides refused to participate, they were subsequently fired. One aide said that “Everything in the office was done and intertwined around their relationship — from time management to who’s going to get what bills,” and complained heavily about their unprofessional behavior.

Courser and Gamrat, being Tea Party darlings, are vocal advocates for “traditional marriage,” anti-gay discrimination laws and anti-abortion laws. Courser once said that “I really feel like the conscience of the party. I’m a maverick, but I have to be a statesman.” Others, even in his own party, were off-put by his abrasive personality and insistence on doing things his own way-“his style is what the adversaries are latching on to and saying, ‘Look at this nut job.’ It’s a pity. It’s good when you start a new job, to just shut up and listen. He’s incapable of that” said Joe Munem, a libertarian political consultant.

It appears that attitude has come back to haunt him, now that his hypocrisy has been exposed and his absurd attempt at using public funds and time to arrange a cover-up has been debunked. It is likely there will be new representation in Lansing, Michigan in the near future.

h/t to Daily Kos