A former Tennessee House member testified Thursday she wouldn’t have used a secretive vendor called Phoenix Solutions for constituent mailers in 2019 if she’d known a fired House staffer was running the company.
Patsy Hazlewood, the former House finance committee chair who was defeated in her re-election bid last year, said on the stand in U.S. District Court that former Rep. Robin Smith misled her about the identity of Phoenix Solutions’ operators.
The prosecution termed the case an “epic fall from power” for the state’s former House speaker and his chief aide, while the defense accused the federal government of inventing a case that’s “wasting” the jury’s time.
Hazlewood, one of numerous former and current House members expected to testify in the corruption trial for former Speaker Glen Casada and his ex-chief of staff Cade Cothren, said she didn’t find out Phoenix Solutions was involved until she saw an invoice. Until then, Hazlewood said she thought Smith was handling the constituent mailers because she had run Hazlewood’s campaigns until winning election to the House.
Former Rep. Patsy Hazlewood, photographed in 2024, testified that she would not have chosen to work with the fictitious Phoenix Solutions had she known Cade Cothren was operating the company. (Photo: John Partipilo)
Smith has pleaded guilty in the federal fraud and kickbacks case and is cooperating with prosecutors. She and Casada were accused of taking bribes and kickbacks to steer business to Cothren after he was fired from his post because of a sex and racist texting scandal that involved Casada, too.
Hazlewood said the scandal that surrounded Cothren “destroyed” his reputation and that she was upset by the incident.
“I had no faith or trust in his integrity,” she said, and added she wouldn’t have worked with him “in any fashion.”
Prosecutors say Casada and Smith had to cover up Cothren’s identity because of the scandal and the “embarrassment” Hazlewood said it caused.
When she inquired about Phoenix Solutions, Hazlewood said Smith told her she knew Matthew Phoenix, a bogus name for the company’s president, and that the company had operated out of East Tennessee but moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico for the “lifestyle” but still could do the mailer work.
“She vouched for his work,” Hazlewood said under questioning from Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Phillips.
The prosecutor introduced documents showing Phoenix Solutions formed in November 2019 in New Mexico and had an account with First Horizon Bank with Cothren as the authorized signer.
Attorneys for the defendants acknowledged that Casada and Smith concealed Cothren’s identity because of problems surrounding his departure from the legislature.
In fact, defense attorney Joy Longnecker told the 14-member jury during opening statements that the case isn’t based on whether Cothren is a “sinner” but whether he committed a federal crime. In addition to sexist and racist text messages, Cothren at the time admitted to using drugs while in state offices.
Longnecker told jurors the prosecution created a case “out of junk mail” based on Cothren’s personal indiscretions that didn’t cause the state to lose a dollar or lawmakers to be shorted on constituent mailers, informational pieces paid for with tax dollars.
She termed the case a matter of “politics and business as usual on the Hill.”
In my mind, it was a very corrupted way to do business.
– Rep. Jay Reedy, R-Erin
Reps. Esther Helton Haynes, of East Ridge, and Jay Reedy of Erin were called to testify after Hazlewood concluded her testimony.
Reedy, who used Phoenix Solutions for design and printing of a legislative survey that was distributed in a local newspaper, said he believed he was working with Casada and did not hear of Phoenix Solutions until FBI agents contacted him in May 2021 after federal agents had initiated an investigation into the bogus company.
In response to questioning from Phillips about his reaction to learning about Phoenix Solutions and its operations, Reedy said “In my mind, it was a very corrupted way to do business.”
Defense attorneys cast the situation as Casada, who started Right Way Consulting, and Smith, who ran Rivers Edge Alliance, being paid by Phoenix Solutions for their work rather than receiving kickbacks or bribes for steering work to his company. They admitted that Cothren ran Phoenix Solutions but did all the work requested, which totaled about $52,000.
Casada’s attorney, Ed Yarbrough, told the jury that Cameron Sexton was elected House Speaker in October 2019, after Casada stepped down, and started talking to the FBI before Phoenix Solutions and Right Way Consulting existed.
FBI agents showed up at Casada’s door in August 2021 with TV crews behind them, shooting video of the former speaker in his bathrobe, proof the media was tipped off, Yarbrough said. Yet Casada talked to the agents without an attorney, because he felt his business dealings with Cothren were legitimate, Yarbrough said. He added that Casada made only $4,000 to $7,000 on the arrangement.
Yarbrough further framed the situation of one in which House Speaker Cameron Sexton tried to get rid of Casada and then Cothren for political reasons. Cothren has claimed he helped Sexton win the speaker’s race and sought to obtain phone records to show he and Sexton communicated frequently in the fall of 2019.
Phillips characterized the case as one of “powerful politicians who used their influence to line their pockets” by hiring Cothren and his “pass-through” company to tap into the tax-funded constituent mailers for kickbacks.
The assistant U.S. attorney told jurors that Cothren used a fake identification to run the company and that he signed a federal tax document with the bogus name, “Matthew Phoenix.” Prosecutors did not introduce the document as evidence Thursday.
(Holly McCall contributed to this story.)
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Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Tennessee Lookout maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Holly McCall for questions: info@tennesseelookout.com.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
The content from *Tennessee Lookout* presents a detailed account of a corruption trial involving former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada, with a strong focus on the legal proceedings, testimonies, and accusations of bribery and fraud. The coverage remains mostly factual, detailing the different perspectives of both the prosecution and defense.
The prosecution is portrayed as framing the case as a “fall from power” for Casada and his associates, while the defense argues that the charges are politically motivated and do not involve significant financial loss to the state. This creates a balanced presentation, offering insights from both sides without heavy editorializing. The inclusion of testimony from various political figures and the use of legal language to describe the case further contributes to the neutral tone.
While there is some criticism of political maneuvering, such as the mention of House Speaker Cameron Sexton’s involvement, the report largely refrains from overtly partisan commentary, instead focusing on the legal details of the case. Therefore, it maintains a centrist position, presenting both sides of the story without aligning strongly with either.
SUMMARY: Desmond Mills Jr., a former Memphis officer who pleaded guilty, testified during the trial of Tadarrius Bean and others charged in Tyre Nichols’ 2023 death. Nichols was beaten after fleeing a traffic stop; footage showed officers laughing while Nichols struggled. Mills admitted hitting Nichols out of anger after accidentally pepper-spraying himself and regretted failing to stop the beating. Nichols died three days later from blunt force trauma. Defense argued Nichols resisted arrest, while prosecutors said officers were “overcome by the moment” and failed to intervene. The trial, moved from Memphis due to publicity, addresses charges including second-degree murder amid scrutiny of MPD’s conduct.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-30 12:15:00
(The Center Square) – Democrats and Republicans from three states are supporting a 287-mile trail that would include Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina.
The lawmakers are asking for a feasibility study on the Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail. U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., said Wednesday the trail deserves a national scenic designation.
“The Benton MacKaye Trail is an invaluable part of my district in East Tennessee that thousands of Tennesseans and Americans hike each year, and the trail connects some of the most beautiful and pristine parts of Tennessee with Georgia and North Carolina,” Fleischmann said.
The trail that winds through the Southern Appalachian Mountains was completed in 2005, according to Bob Cowdrick, president of the Benton MacKaye Trail Association, which has supported its development since 1980, according to the bill.
“This study would help protect our storied outdoor heritage for future generations, support local economies, and provide a wide array of recreation opportunities for everyone from day hikers to thru-hikers and solo trekkers to families,” Cowdrick said.
The trail’s path is made up of 95% of federal land. It passes through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Chattahoochee-Oconee, Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests. It begins at North Georgia’s Springer Mountain and ends at North Carolina’s Mount Sterling, according to the Benton MacKaye Trail Association.
The bill is cosponsored in the House by Democrats Steve Cohen of Tennessee and Lucy McBath of Georgia. Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., is also a cosponsor. Republican North Carolina Sens. Thom Tillis and Ted Budd are cosponsoring it in the Senate with Rep. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga. The bill is currently in the House Natural Resources Committee.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
The article reports on bipartisan support for a feasibility study on the Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail, without advocating for a particular ideological stance. The language used is factual and neutral, primarily focusing on the collaboration between Democrats and Republicans from three states. The article does not show a clear bias in favor of one political party or the other. It simply highlights the specifics of the bill, its sponsors, and the potential benefits of the trail, such as supporting local economies and outdoor recreation. Therefore, it adheres to neutral, factual reporting without promoting a specific viewpoint.
The trio charged in a Tennessee political corruption case shared text messages in early 2020 complaining about the state’s failure to pay a mysterious vendor for work on lawmakers’ constituent mailers, at one point cursing the administrator in charge of handling invoices.
One text message from former Rep. Robin Smith of Hixson to ex-Speaker of the House Glen Casada said, “Connie’s a bi—.” Casada responded, “Agreed!”
Smith, who pleaded guilty in the fraud and kickback case and is cooperating with federal prosecutors, was referring to now-retired Legislative Administration Director Connie Ridley, who handled payments for the state’s postage and printing program for lawmakers. Ridley held up payments because of problems with W-9 tax forms by the vendor, Phoenix Solutions, which was run by former legislative aide Cade Cothren, and Casada, testimony showed.
Smith testified she was “highly frustrated” because Ridley approved work without having the federal tax documents on hand. Eventually, Cothren sent the state a W-9 signed as “Matthew Phoenix,” one of the key documents prosecutors are using in the case to show deception by Smith, Casada and Cothren to direct business to Phoenix Solutions without state officials or lawmakers knowing who was behind the company.
Casada and Cothren had stepped down from their posts at different points in 2019 because of a racist and sexist texting scandal. Casada remained in the General Assembly but not as House speaker.
Connie Ridley, former director of legislative administration, shown leaving Nashville’s federal courthouse on April 25, 2025. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
Another text displayed for the jury Tuesday showed the state had paid for work on a lawmaker’s constituent mailer but didn’t include taxes.
Smith and Cothren sent each other “incredulous” text messages and Smith added another one saying, “Quite the bullsh–.”
Smith, former chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party, met with Ridley to speed up payments in February 2020 when the state owed Phoenix Solutions $34,000 for work on several Republican lawmakers’ constituent mailers, including now-former Rep. Patsy Hazlewood of Signal Mountain, Rep. Dan Howell of Cleveland, Rep. Esther Helton-Haynes of East Ridge, Rep. Dennis Powers of Jacksboro, Rep. Susan Lynn of Mt. Juliet, Rep. Bud Hulsey of Bristol, Rep. Chris Hurt of Halls, Rep. Andrew Farmer of Sevierville and Smith and Casada.
Ridley testified earlier this week she didn’t find out Phoenix Solutions was run by Cothren until May 2020 when federal authorities told her to continue processing the New Mexico-based company’s invoices.
Earlier Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Eli Richardson ruled that prosecutors can present evidence showing the trio wanted to expand from constituent mailers, which are paid for with tax money, to House Republican Caucus work. Defense attorneys argued that the prosecutors should be limited to evidence about the postage and printing program because it is outlined in the indictment, not an effort to tap into caucus funds.
Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Tennessee Lookout maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Holly McCall for questions: info@tennesseelookout.com.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Right
The content highlights a political corruption case involving Republican lawmakers in Tennessee, presenting factual details about legal proceedings, text communications, and testimonies. While it exposes misconduct within a specific party, the reporting style remains largely neutral and focused on the facts without overt editorializing or broad partisan critique. This aligns with a center-right bias, as it scrutinizes members of a right-leaning party but in a relatively balanced and fact-based manner typical of moderate conservative or center-right news coverage.
