NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — As testimony continued in the federal public corruption trial of Glen Casada and Cade Cothren, speculation from just down the street on Capitol Hill focused on how the scandal first unfolded.
While the former House speaker and his one-time aide were mum as they entered the federal courthouse, the defense had prepared the jury for the argument that the entire scandal was cooked up by current House Speaker Cameron Sexton, who replaced Casada in 2019.
Republican State Rep. Todd Warner, a Lewisburg Republican who is close allies with Cothren, came to watch the proceedings. He said the investigation smacks of a "political hit job by our own people."
"What my gut feeling is that he was looking for something or hoping the FBI would find something on Casada and Cothren to do with the original school vouchers bill, is my guess — and that they were hoping to find something on the governor," Warner said.
Warner continued, "My question is, what would President Trump think in Washington if Speaker Johnson used the FBI to take out members of his own caucus? That's absolutely what's happened."
Casada, 65, and Cothren, 38, are charged in a 20-count indictment that accuses them of engaging in a bribery and kickback scheme in conjunction with a deal to provide state-funded constituent mailing services for members of the House Republican Caucus.
Prosecutors say the two men conspired together in a "scheme involving fraud, bribery, theft, and money laundering," in which they "leveraged elected office for private profit, while using lies and concealment as means to accomplish their criminal goals."
If convicted, each man faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
State Rep. Jay Reedy (R-Erin), returned to the witness stand, testifying that he never would have done business with a company providing mailing services for GOP lawmakers if he had known the company, Phoenix Solutions, was controlled by Cothren.
That's because of Cothren's role in a racist and sexist text messaging scandal first uncovered by NewsChannel 5 Investigates.
Also testifying was former legislative administrator Connie Ridley.
Inside the courtroom, Ridley testified that the company submitted a tax document to get paid that was signed "under penalty of perjury" by a "Matthew Phoenix."
We now know that Matthew Phoenix was really Cade Cothren.
Ridley testified that her office confirmed Cothren's involvement by finding his signature on the backs of checks that had been written to Phoenix Solutions.
"If I had known that Mr. Cothren was the person behind Phoenix Solutions, I would not have approved them as a state vendor," Ridley said. "I did not have any confidence in Mr. Cothren and his decision-making and judgment."
On cross-examination, one of Cothren's lawyer, Joy Boyd Longnecker, argued that approving vendors was not any of Ridley's business.
"State representatives never came to you and asked permission to hire a constituent mail vendor, did they?" Longnecker asked.
"No," Ridley answered.
The trial, which was expected to take up to five weeks, resumes Monday.
