Back for a third day of testimony, the prosecution's star witness took the stand again in the federal corruption trial of former House Speaker Glen Casada and his former aide Cade Cothren.
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.
"Mrs. Smith, anything you’d like to say?" I asked as she went into the courtroom.
Smith was silent as she walked in, but had plenty to say in the courtroom. She was the third person involved, along with Casada and Cothren, on their scheme to do mail work for legislators. Smith took a plea deal and is helping the prosecution.
Honest work for honest pay
Cothren’s defense team tried to demonstrate Phoenix Solutions did honest work for honest pay. They showed 16 different mailers they did for lawmakers. Smith confirmed she was proud of each of them.
"Was there anything illegal about you being a lawmaker doing constituent work?” asked Cynthia Sherwood, an attorney for Cothren.
"Illegality was us hiding our identities and deceiving our customers," Smith said.
Of course, it’ll ultimately be up to the jury whether that was illegal or just an unethical practice on Tennessee’s Capitol Hill.
The call
Another major focus became a secretly recorded phone call between Smith and Rep. Ron Gant from West Tennessee. The jury heard the call Tuesday where he directly asked details about who was doing the mail work.
On the call, Smith gave a fake backstory instead of mentioning Casada or Cothren. Smith testified she had no idea Gant was calling to get incriminating information.
She thought at the time he was wanting to become a client.
"Singing for her supper"
When Jonathan Farmer, Glen Casada's attorney, asked former Rep. Smith questions, they tried to distance their client from the day-to-day operations of Phoenix Solutions. Farmer showed a string of text messages and emails that Casada wasn't a part of.
Farmer also asked Smith about a text message where she told Cade Cothren in January 2020 that "Cameron [Sexton] said he wants Glen gone." Smith confirmed that Sexton and Casada have a longstanding political feud. Casada's attorneys mentioned in opening statements that Sexton had a cozy relationship with the FBI and may have exerted influence over beginning the investigation into Casada and Cothren.
Farmer also tried to allege that Smith didn't turn government informant because of altruistic reasons, he characterized it as "singing for her supper." Smith maintains she's doing this for all the right reasons to clear her conscience "with her God, her country and the state of Tennessee."
In re-direct, the prosecution had Smith talk about Glen Casada having his own clients in Phoenix Solution, indicating more evidence to those clients may come out later in the trial.
What comes next
Former Rep. Smith will appear on the stand for a fourth day. Casada and Cothren's attorneys will have an opportunity to question Smith again, then she will likely be released. The government indicated they may next call a forensic analyst to go over the financial documents in the case.
After that, we could see the long awaited testimony from current House Speaker Cameron Sexton, although the order of witnesses could change yet again.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at chris.davis@newschannel5.com.
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