[3] Smith pled guilty to a single count of honest service wire fraud, while also alleging that she and Casada pressured the House Republican Caucus and lawmakers to do business with Phoenix Solutions, including work on taxpayer-funded mailers.

Judge David O. Carter ruled that Casada and other state legislators did not have standing to sue, since the supposed harm they feared was "highly speculative and conjectural.

"[13] The bill was supported by David Fowler's socially conservative Family Action Council of Tennessee, and the Log Cabin Republicans were opposed to it.

[20] On March 4, 2017, Casada was one of the main speakers at a rally in Legislative Plaza in Downtown Nashville to celebrate the policies of President Trump.

First, it was uncovered that Casada's Chief of Staff, Cade Cothren, had possibly attempted to frame Justin Jones, a local civil rights activist, for violating a restraining order.

[28] The other revelations were: It was also uncovered that Casada hired Michael Lotfi, a political operative put on the House payroll, but who did not have to report to work daily.

[37][38] In March 2022, federal prosecutors alleged in court documents that Casada, his former chief of staff Cade Cothren and former Tennessee House member Robin Smith had prominent roles in setting up a shadowy Chattanooga-based public relations firm known as Phoenix Solutions.

[3][4] Phoenix Solutions LLC would be used to provide mail and consulting services for members of the Tennessee General Assembly and also served as a source for laundering illicit campaign money.

[4][5] Participants in the scheme falsely claimed that the firm was operated by an experienced political consultant named “Matthew Phoenix,” who was a fictitious person.

[4] Several state lawmakers were alleged to have participated in the scheme,[4] with Cothren engineering the kickbacks which were given to Casada, Smith and other Tennessee General Assembly members.

[4] Smith pled to a single count of honest service wire fraud, while also alleging that she and Casada pressured the House Republican Caucus and lawmakers to do business with Phoenix Solutions, including work on taxpayer-funded mailers.