Cade Cothren, ex-chief of staff to former House Speaker Glen Casada, leaving Nashville’s federal courthouse on August 23 after being arraigned on federal charges. (Photo: Holly McCall)
A federal judge declined to quash a search warrant in the seizure of former legislative staffer Cade Cothren’s phones after federal agents seized them last week in a “cyberstalking” case, according to a report.
U.S. District Court Judge Eli Richardson ruled Monday that rules are established for “taint teams” to keep privileged information from being used by the prosecution, the Tennessee Journal reported.
The ruling came after prosecutors made an effort to block Cothren’s motion to quash the search warrants on his phones. Federal agents seized his devices and those of Brian Manookian and Republican activist Larry Grimes the morning of Jan. 30.
The three have been critical of House Speaker Cameron Sexton on social media, claiming he lives in Nashville rather than his district home in Crossville in addition to claiming he’s had improper relationships. Sexton has been cooperating with federal prosecutors in a corruption case against Cothren and former House Speaker Glen Casada, who are set to go to trial March 5.