NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A former state lawmaker whose testimony under a plea deal about a taxpayer-funded mail business scheme helped prosecutors land the conviction of a former Tennessee House speaker has been sentenced to eight months in prison.
Former state Rep. Robin Smith, a Republican who had pleaded guilty to one count of honest services wire fraud more than 3 1/2 years ago, said during her sentencing hearing that she had “failed the trust of the public,” the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported.
“My mom and dad raised me to be much better than this,” Smith, 62, said Friday in Nashville federal court before U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson. “I ask for the forgiveness of the public.”
Smith must report to prison by Jan. 5.
As part of her March 2022 plea, Smith agreed to the “full, complete and truthful” cooperation with the federal government, the newspaper said. She testified earlier this year at the public corruption trial of former Speaker Rep. Glen Casada and his onetime chief of staff, Cade Cothren.
A jury in May found Casada guilty of 17 of 19 charges while Cothren was found guilty of all 19 counts against him. In September, Richardson acquitted Casada and Cothren of three of those counts each but let stand 14 for Casada and 16 for Cothren.
The judge then sentenced Casada to three years in prison and Cothren to 2 1/2 years.
The corruption trial involved activities after Casada resigned as speaker in 2019 following a no-confidence vote by fellow Republicans due to swirling scandals, but while he was still a lawmaker. Cothren had stepped down in 2019 from his job amid allegations.
Government prosecutors said that Cothren launched a company called Phoenix Solutions with the knowledge and support of Casada and Smith that the three claimed was run by a “Matthew Phoenix,” and companies controlled by Casada and Smith received roughly $52,000 in taxpayer money in 2020 from a mailer program for lawmakers.
A “Matthew Phoenix” signature ended up on an IRS tax document. A purported associate of that fictitious person was portrayed by Casada’s then-girlfriend, prosecutors said. The goal was to use the state-funded assignments to launch into more lucrative business, according to prosecutors.
Smith testified at this year’s trial that the goal of the scheme was to hide who was behind Phoenix Solutions due to the “radioactive” scandal that pushed Casada and Cothren out of power.
During the trial, defense attorneys tried to portray Smith as untrustworthy and driven by hopes for a lenient sentence.
Richardson said Friday that Smith was more involved than Casada in propping up the company, pressuring public officials and “spinning a web of fabrications,” the Times Free Press reported.
“We have these public officials,” the judge said. “We elect them to do the right thing.”
Smith, a former county and state GOP leader, was elected to the state House in 2018 to represent part of Hamilton County. She resigned her seat in early 2022 amid her plea deal.
