Former Tennessee House Speaker and Aide Sentenced for Corruption, Later Pardoned by President Trump
Former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada and aide Cade Cothren were sentenced to prison for federal corruption, though President Trump later pardoned them for their roles.
Overview
- Former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada received a three-year prison sentence, and his aide Cade Cothren received two-and-a-half years for federal corruption charges.
- The charges stemmed from a scheme where Cothren launched Phoenix Solutions with Casada's support to secure taxpayer-funded mail business from lawmakers.
- President Donald Trump issued pardons for both Casada and Cothren, who had faced these corruption charges, mitigating their prison sentences.
- The White House criticized the Biden administration's Justice Department for over-prosecuting individuals for what they deemed a minor issue in the corruption case.
- The corruption case involved a net profit loss under $5,000, leading to an armed raid and potential lengthy prison terms before pardons were granted.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources collectively frame this story by scrutinizing President Trump's pardons. They contextualize the White House's 'over-prosecuted' claim with facts about the investigation's origin under Trump and a Trump-appointed judge. Sources also place these pardons within a broader pattern of Trump's actions perceived as undermining public integrity, emphasizing the severity of the original corruption charges.
"The Biden Department of Justice significantly over-prosecuted these individuals for a minor issue involving constituent mailers."
NBC News"The moves continued a pattern of Trump, a Republican, using his second term to bestow unlikely pardons on political allies, prominent public figures and others convicted of defrauding the public."
ABC News"The pardons did not yet show on the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Pardon Attorney's website at 7:56 p.m. Nov. 6."
USA TODAY"The moves continued a pattern of Trump, a Republican, using his second term to bestow unlikely pardons on political allies, prominent public figures and others convicted of defrauding the public."
Associated PressArticles (6)
Center (4)
FAQ
Glen Casada and Cade Cothren were charged with federal corruption involving a scheme where Cothren launched Phoenix Solutions with Casada's support to secure taxpayer-funded mail business from lawmakers, resulting in fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy charges.
Glen Casada was sentenced to 36 months (three years) in federal prison, and Cade Cothren was sentenced to 30 months (two and a half years).
President Donald Trump issued pardons for both Glen Casada and Cade Cothren, which effectively mitigated their prison sentences for the corruption charges.
The White House criticized the Biden administration's Justice Department for what it described as over-prosecuting individuals for a minor corruption issue, noting that the net profit loss involved was under $5,000 despite the heavy penalties imposed.
The armed raid in the investigation was part of the federal response to the corruption case, although the actual net profit loss from the scheme was less than $5,000, highlighting the severe enforcement actions taken before the pardons.
History
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