President Donald Trump officially pardoned Cothren and former House Speaker Glen Casada on Friday.
Image Credit: Martin B. Cherry / Nashville Banner
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by Sarah Grace Taylor, [The Nashville Banner, Creative Commons] –
Presidential pardons for Cade Cothren and Glen Casada were signed on Friday. Now, five years after the pair was found at the center of a political kickback scheme, Cothren’s considering a return to the public eye.
Casada, then Tennessee House Speaker, and Cothren, his former chief of staff, were convicted on a litany of money laundering, fraud and related charges this summer after a years-long federal investigation into Phoenix Solutions, a shell company through which the pair offered political services to candidates and lawmakers while Casada was in office.
Cynthia Sherwood, Cothren’s defense attorney, told the Banner Saturday that Cothren maintains his innocence, even after being convicted on more than a dozen charges this summer and sentenced to 30 months in prison.
“Cade Cothren is innocent. He always has been. He was charged with crimes he didn’t commit – crimes he couldn’t have committed under the law,” Sherwood said in a text message on Saturday, after Cothren’s sentence was effectively erased by President Donald Trump.
According to Sherwood, Cothren has faced “political weaponization and lawfare” for five years, but can now return to a normal life. He may even return to public life.
“He called his case what it was – a prosecution motivated by politics, personal bias, and greed instead of justice,” Sherwood continued. “Cade cannot thank President Trump enough for pardoning him and righting this wrong. Because of President Trump, Cade can reclaim his future, rebuild his life, and return to public service.”
Casada has been less vocal during the investigation and trial and since the pardons were announced on Thursday.
Conspirator and former state representative Robin Smith, who quickly flipped and cooperated with the FBI, has been sentenced to 8 months in prison for her role in the scheme and is not expected to receive a pardon.
One Response
Thanks Sarah Grace Taylor and the Nashville Banner for reminding us all what we hate about politics….the hypocritical media elites and political cronyism. Even when these pardons come from a man we all know as the most “business” minded politician of all time – Donald Trump. But it really is just more ‘business as usual’. And, whether or not you think Casada, Cothran and Smith deserve a pardon or not….that is the president’s prerogative. The only real issue here is….WHERE were Sarah Grace Taylor and the Nashville Banner when Biden was handing out pardons like Halloween candy to felons? AWOL – prove me wrong! Of course now, they both ‘pearl clutch’ and decry foul at this news, but did they EVER even bother when Clinton, Obumer and Biden were doing the EXACT same thing? I seriously doubt it, and IF they did, I’m sure it was purposefully ‘covering’ for their then “FAV” POTUS. What drama and hypocrisy on display!