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Speaker's chief of staff says he doesn't recall sending racist texts

Cothren text messages.jpg
Posted at 2:08 PM, May 06, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-10 14:58:33-04

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada's chief of staff now says he cannot remember if he sent racist text messages to a former acquaintance.

Last week, Casada had accused NewsChannel 5 of publishing fabricated text messages from 2015 and 2016 that Cade Cothren had sent to a former acquaintance.

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"Because this happened several years ago, I can sincerely say it is hard for me to remember things with absolute clarity," Cothren said in an email to NewsChannel 5 Investigates.

"I can confirm, however, that I have said and done things in the past that I’m not proud of and I won’t hide from that. However, those who know my heart, know that I am nothing even remotely resembling a racist. I believe that all people are created equally in God’s eyes."

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