FBI agents search dwelling of former Tennessee Property speaker

FBI brokers searched the homes and workplaces of Tennessee point out lawmakers, a U.S. attorney’s business stated Friday. The queries bundled the households of former GOP Residence Speaker Glen Casada and point out Consultant Robin Smith, according to David Boling, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s business for the Middle District of Tennessee.

CBS affiliate WTVF-Television reviews Casada greeted agents at his apartment Friday morning in his bathrobe. An agent was also viewed posted outside his legislative business in Nashville, and other brokers were observed leaving Smith’s business, in accordance to the station.

Boling declined to supply any additional details pertaining to the mother nature of the lookups and how a lot of lawmakers were being involved.

A spokesman for the FBI referred all inquiries to the U.S. attorney’s office environment.

Casada resigned from the top rated management put up in 2019 right after revelations he exchanged sexually specific textual content messages about women with his previous chief of personnel a long time ago. He was reelected to the condition House final November, WTVF-Television set reviews.

Casada did not promptly react to text messages looking for comment. Smith did not respond to emailed requests for remark.

Republican Governor Invoice Lee instructed reporters Friday that he experienced spoken to present-day Dwelling Speaker Cameron Sexton about the searches, describing them as “FBI raids.”

“It’s certainly pretty concerning. I know pretty very little about that. There is certainly been no FBI outreach to us,” Lee reported. “But I have self confidence that Speaker Sexton is on best of the situation and we will study extra as this unfolds.”

Sexton stated in a assertion that he was in “full cooperation” with authorities.

“Due to the fact getting to be speaker, I have been contacted by federal authorities with regards to an ongoing investigation related to the previous speaker’s workplace,” Sexton explained. “On the assistance of both equally Ethics and Authorized Counsel, I am inserting everybody that was matter to the execution of today’s search warrants on administrative leave right until further recognize.”

Sexton’s business did not instantly reply to observe-up issues relating to who would be put on administrative go away.

Other controversies involving Casada bundled an aide’s cocaine use at a legislative office yrs back and allegations of doctoring e-mail to frame a younger Black activist — which Casada and the aide both of those denied.

There have been also statements of vote-obtaining tries on a essential schooling voucher invoice, which he has firmly denied.