Defense attorneys in Casada, Cothren trial give hints to strategies
Cade Cothren, who served as chief of staff to former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada, walks to the Fred D. Thompson Federal Courthouse in Nashville on April 22, 2025. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
Day two of former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada's federal corruption trial ended with a jury chosen and indications of how defense lawyers could try to keep their client out of prison.
Casada and his former chief of staff Cade Cothren are on trial for allegations of conspiracy, fraud, money laundering, bribery and kickbacks after funneling contracts for political consulting services for state House members to a company founded by Cothren called Phoenix Solutions.
Casada's attorney Ed Yarbrough questioned prospective alternate jurors Tuesday about whether they have worked in sales, received commissions in exchange for work — raising the question of whether commissions and kickbacks could be seen as mutually exchangeable terms — or outsourced work to subcontractors.
'Did your customers always know who was doing the work?' Yarbrough asked.
Federal prosecutors' case rests partially on the premise that Casada and former Chattanooga Rep. Robin Smith secured contracts for political consulting services from House Republican Caucus members, receiving a cut of the proceeds from Cothren in return.
Cothren resigned from his post in May 2019 amid a scandal over racist and sexist text messages that was heavily reported by Nashville-area media. He formed Phoenix Solutions in 2020 and prosecutors allege Casada and Smith purposely concealed Cothren's identity on the assumption House members would not contract with Phoenix if they knew Cothren was behind it.
Opening arguments will begin Thursday morning.
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