President Trump has granted full pardons to former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada and his ex-chief of staff Cade Cothren \u2014 two Republican operatives convicted in a federal corruption case involving a legislator-funded mailer program. The White House announced that the decision came after what the administration describes as a disproportionate prosecution by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) under the Biden administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to a senior White House official, Casada and Cothren were convicted of a \u201cminor issue involving constituent mailers \u2014 which were billed at competitive prices, never received a complaint from legislators, and resulted in a net profit loss of less than $5,000.\u201d The official added that \u201cthe Biden DOJ responded with an armed raid, a perp walk and suggested sentences exceeding 10 years \u2014 penalties normally reserved for multimillion-dollar fraudsters.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Casada was sentenced in September to three years in prison, and Cothren to two and a half years, following their convictions. Casada resigned from his speakership in 2019 after a no-confidence vote within his party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The former lawmaker was found guilty of 17 charges in the public corruption case, while Cothren was found guilty of all 19 charges in the trial that began in April. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Casada resigned in 2019 after a no-confidence vote by fellow Tennessee Republicans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To understand the Casada\/Cothren case in context, here are key examples of Trump\u2019s clemency use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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