NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A six-year political scandal may finally come to an end Tuesday when Glen Casada, once the most powerful man in the Tennessee House, faces a judge to learn his fate in a federal corruption case.
Casada, a former Tennessee House speaker, and his former aide, Cade Cothren, were found guilty in May in a federal corruption trial. They were accused of setting up the company Phoenix Solutions using a fake name, Matthew Phoenix, on federal tax documents to obtain state mailing contracts.
"Elected leaders and their staffs should perform honest services for the citizens that they serve," said Rob McGuire, acting U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, following the May 2025 conviction.
Last week, Cothren learned his fate from the judge: two and a half years in prison, a year of probation and a $25,000 fine.
Interestingly, Casada, who was found guilty on fewer charges, could end up spending a longer time in prison than his former aide. Why? Because Casada is a former public elected official.
"So they're held to a higher standard. It's more serious if a person uses their office to commit a crime, and the sentencing guidelines take that into account," said attorney David Raybin.
According to federal sentencing guidelines, Casada could receive up to one or two additional years compared to Cothren because he was a former elected official.
But those are only guidelines for Judge Eli Richardson to consider. "So then the judge considers if the person has done good things. How serious the crime was. Was this a single incident, were there multiple incidents?" Raybin said.
Cothren seeks presidential pardon
Meanwhile, Cothren didn't answer questions about seeking a presidential pardon last week, but activity on his social media appears to be telling a different story.
Cothren changed his profile picture on X to a photo he took on the day of his sentencing in front of President Donald Trump's official portrait inside the federal courthouse in Nashville. "If one of these guys is standing in front of Trump's picture putting up the thumbs up or whatever, that may be the last card he has to play," Raybin said.
Country music singer John Rich has been vocal on X about trying to persuade the president to pardon Cothren. But there was no mention of trying to do the same for Casada.
Despite Cothren's attempt to obtain a pardon, several members of the Tennessee House Republican leadership have previously posted on social media denouncing the idea of a pardon for either man in this scandal.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com.
It's migratory season for billions of animals across the United States. That means millions of birds and butterflies will take a rest stop in Tennessee and Kentucky as they move south for winter. Tennessee state parks are working to create vital habitat for the migrating monarchs. You may be able to follow their lead around your home to help reverse a declining monarch population.
- Lelan Statom
