Former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada and his former chief of staff, Cade Cothren, have been pardoned by President Donald Trump, wiping away their public corruption convictions tied to a fake political consulting firm, according to the Tennessee Journal.
Casada’s attorney, Ed Yarbrough, confirmed Thursday that Casada personally received a call from the president informing him of the pardon.
“It is good news. I’m just grateful to the president and his trust and understanding of my innocence. I can now get on with my life,” Casada said in a text message previously reported by The Tennessee Journal.
Casada and Cothren were convicted last year of running a kickback and bribery scheme through a company called Phoenix Solutions, which prosecutors said was created to funnel taxpayer money to themselves.
Cothren secretly operated the company under the alias “Matthew Phoenix” after resigning in 2019 amid a racist and sexist texting scandal that also led to Casada’s fall from power.
Casada was sentenced to three years in prison and Cothren to two and a half. Former state Rep. Robin Smith, who cooperated with prosecutors and testified against them, received an eight-month sentence.
Casada reportedly said he does not know whether Trump is also considering a pardon for Smith. The White House has not issued a formal statement on the pardons, which mark one of the most high-profile acts of clemency of Trump’s second term.
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