President Donald Trump issued full pardons to former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada and his former chief of staff, Cade Cothren, on Thursday. Both men had been convicted on federal corruption charges, and the White House has characterized these pardons as a response to what it deemed excessive action by the Biden Justice Department.
Casada, a member of the Republican Party, was sentenced in September to a 36-month prison term after being found guilty on 17 counts, which included wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Cothren was given a 2½-year sentence, as reported by Newsmax. The charges arose from their involvement with Phoenix Solutions, a consulting firm they created along with another legislator, which was accused of funneling taxpayer money for personal use. A notable aspect of the case was the use of a fictitious persona, "Matthew Phoenix," to mask their roles in the company's dealings.
"I am grateful for his trust and his full confidence in my innocence through this whole ordeal." - Glen Casada
The convictions came in the wake of a 2019 scandal that led to Casada's resignation as House speaker following a vote of no confidence by his Republican peers. This followed the public revelation of sexually explicit and racially charged text messages exchanged between Casada and Cothren about female legislators. Cothren also admitted to using cocaine while in the legislative office.
A White House official criticized the Justice Department's approach to the case, stating, "The Biden Department of Justice significantly over-prosecuted these individuals for a minor issue involving constituent mailers." The official highlighted the competitive billing of the mailers, the lack of complaints from legislators, and the minimal profit loss involved.
Casada expressed his gratitude for the pardon, telling WSMV in Nashville, “Yes, the president called me today and granted me a full pardon. I am grateful for his trust and his full confidence in my innocence through this whole ordeal.”
The pardons of Casada and Cothren add to a list of controversial clemency decisions made by President Trump, which includes figures like former Illinois Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich and reality TV personalities Todd and Julie Chrisley. These cases often involve claims of undue penalties imposed by previous administrations and have sparked debates on the implications of such presidential actions.
Supporters of the pardons see them as necessary corrections to unjust punishments, whereas detractors argue they could erode public trust in the accountability of elected officials. This ongoing discourse underlines the complexities of federal prosecution when it intersects with political dynamics.
Local and social media reactions range from reporting the basic facts of the pardons to expressing outrage over perceived inconsistencies in the President's clemency decisions. A tweet from Local 3 News succinctly announced the pardons, while another tweet from Mike Engleman questioned the fairness of the pardons compared to other cases.
