https://www.theroot.com/tennessee-house-speakers-top-aide-resigns-after-accusat-1834564808
Tennessee House Speaker's Top Aide Resigns After Accusations of Framing Black Activist and Sending Racist and Sexist Texts
Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada’s chief of staff, a white man who actually and truly goes by the name Cade Cothren, has resigned amid allegations that he framed a black activist, as well as sent racist and sexually explicit texts, some of which were received by his boss. Cothren announced his resignation on Monday, hours after admitting to using illegal drugs, including snorting cocaine, in his legislative offices.
Yes, it’s astoundingly messy. So, let’s take it slowly.
The first allegation to surface involves Cothren’s participation in framing Justin Jones, a Vanderbilt University divinity student who has protested at the Tennessee State House over a bust honoring a Confederate general, according to ThinkProgress. Tennessee politics being Tennessee politics, the state legislature refused to take down the statue. In February, following a protest at the Capitol, Jones was arrested for assault after a cup was thrown into Speaker Casada’s elevator.
Because elevators matter more than black lives at the State House, a condition of Jones’ bond was that he was prohibited from contacting Casada. This is where our boy Cade Cothren comes in.
Jones maintains that he’s obeyed the order, but Cothren sent a photo to Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk showing Jones emailed Casada’s office one day after the order was handed down. The problem? Jones’ email records show the email was actually sent on February 25—before his arrest.
Last week, News Channel 5 Nashville dug into the allegations Jones was framed, and uncovered more bullsh1t emanating from Casada and Cothren’s corner of the State House, including a false claim that Jones misspelled “capitol” in the email address as an excuse for Cothren not acknowledging a meeting request.
And then, there were the racist texts Cothren sent. In one exchange, he referred to Tampa Bay quarterback Jameis Winston as a “thug n___er.” In another text exchange about education policy, Cothren wrote, “black people are idiots.”
Of course, that alone wasn’t enough to force Cothren’s resignation, which came after a slew of Cothren’s sexist and sexually explicit text messages were published by The Tennessean on Monday afternoon: texts in which Cothren bragged to his boss about “f_cking [a woman] in the bathroom” at a restaurant, asked an intern for oral sex and nude photos, and sought sex with a lobbyist.
As for Casada, it appears he was more than aware of his subordinate’s behavior. Here’s a sample, from the Tennessean:
In August 2016, Cothren texted Casada about a sexual encounter he had with a woman.
“Just so y’all know, I did f—k (woman) in the bathroom at party fowl,” he said, referring to the Party Fowl restaurant. “Will send pictures later.”
Casada responded: “Only gone for 60 seconds,” adding, “R u a minute man???;)”
Cothren said, “Yes, I take after you. Like father like son.”
Casada replied, “Lolol! If I’m happy, then all is good!!!!!”
In a separate 2016 exchange with another person, Casada said, referring to Cothren, “Those girls aren’t safe!!! Shepard? He’s the wolf!!!”
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