TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Kate Prince on Mar 18, 2022

The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance yesterday voted to send its investigation of former House Speaker Glen Casada, R-Franklin, and former Casada chief of staff Cade Cothren to Williamson County prosecutors, the Tennessee Journal reports. The vote comes after former Rep. Robin Smith, R-Hixson, pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud for her role in a political consulting kickback scheme in which Casada and Cothren are also implicated. The vote will also send the registry’s probe of the Faith Family Freedom Fund PAC to prosecutors. The PAC’s treasurer, a former girlfriend of Cothren, testified in January that she had created the group at Cothren’s behest, but had no further role in its activities. The PAC then lobbed attacks at former Rep. Rick Tillis, R-Lewisburg, during his unsuccessful re-election bid in 2020. According to the Associated Press, Cothren has told the registry he’ll invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and won’t abide by a subpoena. Casada told the registry he was not involved with the PAC.