Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, Senate Minority Leader Mark Schauer, House Speaker Andy Dillon and House Minority Leader and CMU alumnus Craig DeRoche may have been asked by Peters to speak on issues plaguing the state Legislature, but the atmosphere throughout the Griffin Policy Forum was tense to say the least.

Before the forum, members of Students Against Gary Peters braved the weather and passed out fliers to those attending the event even though CMU has tried discipling students for passing out fliers that raise questions about Peters.

One veteran political reporter commented Peters was "on pins and needles." The professor-turned-congressional candidate has been under a cloud of controversy for more than three months with hundreds of CMU students and alumni along with Michigan taxpayers urging school President Michael Rao to enforce the contract with Peters, which requires his "full-time ... primary commitment" through the 2009/10 academic year.

When asked before tonight's forum about his support of Peters, Rao declined a response. (The video has been posted on YouTube and can be viewed below.)

But it's not just students complaining about Petersgate.

DeRoche told Central Michigan Life on Monday that "Gary Peters should have resigned if he wanted to pursue public office." And others including state Representatives Kevin Green, a CMU alumnus, and Jack Hoogendyk have also taken issue with some legislators calling what's happening a "disgrace."