Former aide to the state's House speaker Cade Cothren, seeking to reinvent himself after scandal, will run for the Tennessee House of Representatives.Â
Cothren — who was convicted of federal fraud and bribery charges and later pardoned by President Donald Trump — tells Scene sister publication the Nashville Post he intends to seek the House District 71 seat held by Republican Rep. Kip Capley (R-Summertown). Previously, Cothren was an aide to House Speaker Glen Casada (R-Franklin). The two were both charged with federal crimes and underwent a trial and sentencing in 2025.
"I am seriously considering a run for state representative because our government has been taken over by insiders who protect themselves and punish anyone who refuses to fall in line," Cothren tells the Post, adding he has pulled a petition related to the effort.
Former state House speaker, aide received calls from president offering pardons for money laundering, fraud scheme convictions
"I’ve seen that system from the inside. When you challenge it, it doesn’t defend itself with truth. It retaliates."
Cothren was part of Casada's administration when NewsChannel 5 revealed exchanges between Cothren and Casada featuring explicit language about sex and drug use. The two eventually resigned in 2019.Â
Now, more than six years later, the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance has fined Cothren $80,000 for what they believe are eight violations in reference to his Faith Family Freedom Fund from 2019. The state says Cothren misled the public with the political action committee and violated campaign finance rules. This was decided in a Jan. 23 meeting.Â
"That is why, only after word got out that I was looking at running, the Registry of Election Finance moved to act on a six-year-old issue," Cothren said. "That timing is not accidental. But let me be clear: I am not backing down."
Cothren now has until March 10 to pay the penalty or he will not be able to run for office.Â
"This district deserves a representative who answers to the people, not to Nashville power brokers," Cothren says. "If I run, it will be to give voters a real choice and to take on a system that has gone unchecked for far too long."
This article was first published by our sister publication, the Nashville Post.
