The trial of former Tennessee House speaker and his onetime chief of staff on bribery, kickback and money laundering charges began on Thursday with defense attorneys arguing that the pair did nothing illegal.
The case accuses former Republican Rep. Glen Casada and his former aide Cade Cothren of taking taxpayer money to produce political mailings while hiding Cothren's involvement after the two had been pressured out of their leadership roles following a political scandal.
