Former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada, photographed during his May trial on federal corruption charges, faces sentencing on Sept. 23. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)

The federal judge handling former House Speaker Glen Casada’s political corruption case hinted this week that the Franklin Republican could serve more time than his ex-staffer who was sentenced to 30 months in prison.

U.S. District Court Judge Eli Richardson, who said a lot of things several times during the sentencing of Cade Cothren, told the courtroom that Casada’s sentencing range will be two levels higher because he was a public official. Cothren, in contrast, had stepped down in 2019 from his chief of staff post amid a racist and sexist texting scandal, even if he did influence a public official.

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