By Rosetta Miller Perry
NASHVILLE, TN. May 9, 2019 — House Speaker Glen Casada is such an embarrassment and disgrace to the state of Tennessee that he should not be allowed to hold this esteemed office.
It’s is a fact that House Speaker Glen Casada received many racist texts from his former
aide and best friend Cade Cothren. This disgraced aide finally resigned under pressure Monday when evidence of sexist texts he sent were uncovered.
House Speaker Glen Casada initially tried to deny the existence of the racist texts, then made the claim the sexist texts were “just locker room talk,” borrowing a quote from the Trump sex scandals. As House Minority Leader Karen D. Camper said in a statement “Citizens of the State of Tennessee deserve to have a Speaker that they can trust; whose character and moral standards are beyond reproach. The actions of our Speaker are unbecoming and disrespectful, not only to the citizens of our state, but the office he holds.”
House Speaker Glen Casada hired Cade Cothren at a salary of $200,000, something that should have been an immediate cause for concern. Cade Cothren acknowledged using cocaine in the legislative office building, sending racist and sexist messages, and soliciting sex from an intern and a lobbyist. His resignation should be followed by the House Speaker Glen Casada, his employer and social best friend. Why shouldn’t House Speaker Glen Casada, who hired and gave him a six-figure salary, not also go out the door behind him fast. House Speaker Glen Casada has a serious problem.
When TN State Rep. David Byrd admitted on tape to sexual misconduct with young female basketball players he coached, his own Republican party asked him to step down. He not only refused, but his good friend House Speaker Glen Casada rewarded him by promoting him to chair of the education committee. That should tell this state what type of character this man is and he needs to go now.
