In a statement released late Friday, McCotter said "after nearly 26 years in elected office, this past nightmarish month and a half have, for the first time, severed the necessary harmony between the needs of my constituency and of my family. As this harmony is required to serve, its absence requires I leave.
"The recent event's totality of calumnies, indignities and deceits have weighed most heavily upon my family. Thus, acutely aware one cannot rebuild their hearth of home amongst the ruins of their U.S. House office, for the sake of my loved ones I must 'strike another match, go start anew' by embracing the promotion back from public servant to sovereign citizen."
He added: "I do not leave for an existing job and face diminishing prospects (and am both unwilling and ill-suited to lobby), my priorities are twofold: find gainful employment to help provide for my family; and continue to assist, in any way they see fit, the Michigan Attorney General's earnest and thorough investigation, which I requested, into the 2012 petition filing."
The Aug. 7 primary election for the 11th District had Kerry Bentivolio, a former teacher, veteran and Milford reindeer farmer, as the only Republican on the ballot. Former state Sen. Nancy Cassis, R-Novi, launched a write-in campaign with the blessing of the party establishment in Oakland and Wayne counties, which the 11th District encompasses. Neither was immediately available for comment.
Under Michigan law, Gov. Rick Snyder will have to call a special election to fill McCotter's 11th District seat for the remainder of the year.
It was unclear late Friday how soon a special election can be held with the August primary less than five weeks away.
Thank God this toilet squatter wasn't around 236 years ago when the 56 signers were telling George III to go take a flying one, or we would still be ruled under England's king.