Tennessee's former Home Speaker Glen Casada was arrested on federal prices on Tuesday.
AP/Mark Humphrey
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee’s disgraced former Home Speaker Glen Casada and his prime aide had been arrested Tuesday on federal prices together with bribery, kickbacks and conspiracy to commit cash laundering.
Their indictments comply with the abrupt resignation in March of Republican Rep. Robin Smith, who pleaded responsible to federal wire fraud prices involving Casada and his chief of employees, Cade Cothren. Afterward, hypothesis swirled about what extra prices may come within the corruption probe.
FBI brokers arrested Casada and Cothren at their properties Tuesday morning. If convicted, they every withstand 20 years in jail. Each pleaded not responsible Tuesday and obtained pretrial launch with journey restricted to the center district of Tennessee until in any other case authorized.
The 20-count charging doc alleges Casada and Cothren exploited their positions of energy by working with one other unnamed lawmaker to funnel cash to themselves utilizing a political consulting agency — generally known as Phoenix Options, LLC — to hide their involvement.
Cothren registered the agency in New Mexico as a result of the state permits nameless registration of LLCs, and rebuffed requests for in-person conferences with Casada’s fellow lawmakers, saying the corporate representatives had been out of state.
The trio deceived different Tennessee lawmakers in a conspiracy “to complement themselves by acquiring bribes and kickbacks from Cothren, in change for securing the approval of Phoenix Options as a mailer program vendor,” a Justice Division information launch stated.
Outdoors the courthouse afterward, Cothren’s lawyer, Cynthia Sherwood, advised reporters Cothren plans on “strongly defending the costs” and that he “appears to be like very ahead to being vindicated.” Cothren himself advised a reporter, “the reality will come out.”
Casada and his attorneys declined to reply reporters’ questions as they left.
Home Speaker Cameron Sexton, who succeeded his fellow Republican within the management submit, testified as a witness within the investigation in entrance of a grand jury in March. Different lawmakers and former and present staffers testified as properly. Sexton has stated he has assisted federal authorities within the investigation since turning into speaker in 2019.
Revelations concerning the case additionally prompted lawmakers to cross more durable state marketing campaign finance and ethics necessities this 12 months.
“Right now is an efficient day for Tennesseans as a result of we didn't flip a blind eye on these prison actions,” Sexton stated.
Below her plea deal, Smith additionally promised to cooperate as a possible witness.
Casada resigned as speaker in 2019 however held onto his seat after revelations that he and Cothren had exchanged sexually express textual content messages about ladies years earlier. He isn't working for reelection this 12 months. Cothren misplaced his legislative job within the texting scandal, however remained concerned in Republican politics.
FBI brokers searched the properties and places of work of a number of state lawmakers in January 2021, together with these of Casada and Smith, and the house of Cothren.
The charging paperwork revealed Tuesday say Cothren launched Phoenix Options with Smith’s and Casada’s “data and help” to supply mail and consulting providers to lawmakers. All three claimed the agency was run by a “Matthew Phoenix” when in truth it was a made-up alias for Cothren, and Casada knew the title was fictitious, the paperwork allege.
The paperwork allege Smith emailed Cothren at one level saying he “could need to assume the function of Matthew once more.” He replied saying, “Matthew, reporting for obligation!” and included a GIF of “a salute from Harrison Ford’s character Han Solo within the film Star Wars,” officers stated.
Federal investigators stated a separate textual content change confirmed Casada texted Cothren in late 2019 saying “I believe that is beginning off properly I’m happy!” Cothren later cautioned that “we simply have to ensure nobody is aware of it’s me concerned,” they stated.
When Casada raised considerations about lawmakers wanting “representatives from Phoenix” to make an in-person presentation, Cothren responded that they might remind lawmakers “they stay in New Mexico. Must get on the cellphone for it and I may disguise my voice if I has (sic) to.”
Phoenix Options obtained roughly $52,000 from the state in funds related to the mailer program, based on the charging paperwork.
In the meantime, Cothren continues to struggle a subpoena over the state marketing campaign finance regulators’ investigation into the Religion Household Freedom Fund PAC.
Forward of the 2020 GOP major election, the political motion committee focused then-Rep. Rick Tillis, the brother of North Carolina US Sen. Thom Tillis. Rick Tillis misplaced to Republican Rep. Todd Warner, who was amongst these topic to the FBI searches in January 2021.
The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance determined to reopen its probe into the PAC after its treasurer testified in January that she is Cothren’s former girlfriend and opened the PAC as a result of Cothren requested her to. She stated Cothren assured her she was doing nothing flawed and that she took no additional motion.
Cothren has knowledgeable the registry that he's invoking his Fifth Modification proper in opposition to self-incrimination and received’t abide by its subpoena. The registry handed the case off to state prosecutors. The state has sued over Cothren’s refusal.
Casada additionally was subpoenaed, and advised the registry he wasn’t concerned with the PAC. Casada opted to run for Williamson County clerk this 12 months as an alternative of his statehouse seat, and misplaced within the GOP major.
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