NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WTVF) – Harmful groups working behind the scenes to determine Republican scores – playing with undetectable money.
The situation, first exposed by NewsChannel 5 investigation, it appears to be driving the latest FBI investigation into Capitol Hill corruption.
On Friday, FBI agents dragged boxes of evidence away from Tennessee’s Capitol Hill. NewsChannel 5 has learned that computers and other materials may have been linked to a group of shady campaign companies.
It was part of a series of raids that began early in the morning at the Franklin home of former Tennessee House speaker Glen Casada.
Related: FBI conducts search warrants on former TN speaker Casada, other Republicans
Also targeted: two former Casada assistants, along with Republican Rep. Robin Smith of Hamilton County and newly elected Rep. Todd Warner of Marshall County.
Last summer, NewsChannel 5 unveiled for the first time how attack tools, aimed at representative Rick Tillis of Lewisburg, were sent out by a shadowy group, the Faith Family Freedom Fund, which claims it raised no money or spent it.
We’ve discovered that a mail permit number used for one of the emails is the same as that used by Todd Warner … who defeated Tillis in the Republican primary.
Related: Anonymous Campaign Attack Targets Republican Lawmakers
“A lot of unpaid money flowed into that race,” said Erik Schelzig, editor of the Tennessee Journal, a respected political newsletter. “No one really knows where it came from and who spent it.”
Following the NewsChannel 5 report, Schelzig took a deep dive into the finances behind the shady campaign to oust Tillis, who was slammed by Glen Casada for a defeat.
Casada backed Warner ‘who spent more than $ 120,000 of his own money, which surprised many down there because he had just declared for federal bankruptcy a few years back because he could not pay $ 20 million in debt,’ Schelzig noticed.
The postal permit number led to a small well-known company called Phoenix Solutions from New Mexico. Phoenix Solutions did work for a number of Republican candidates.
“Phoenix Solutions is a new player on the scene in Tennessee politics, and this is where it relates to Representative Robin Smith, who has been trying to use the seller since coming to the Legislature,” the Tennessee Journal- editor added.
After a NewsChannel 5 investigation led to Casada’s resignation as speaker in the summer of 2019, an audit of his campaign finances revealed that there were $ 100,000 in expenses for which he had no revenue.
And NewsChannel 5 Inquiry unknown allegations of alleged bribery offered by Casada to pass school certificates – an allegation he denied.
Now, there is this investigation.
“It looks like if you pick up the onion again and peel it back,” Schelzig said, “you will find many elements to take a closer look at – many have to do with shady fundraising and activities that do not appear. on top of the first blush. “
As for Rep Kent Calfee, the Roane County Republican whose office was raided, Capitol NewsChannel 5 sources say the focus is on his assistant, not on him. The assistant’s daughter is dating former Casada chief of staff Cade Cothren.
An attorney for Todd Warner also sent the following statement:
‘Rep. Todd Warner is a successful small businessman, farmer and freshman legislator. Rep. Warner and his family were shocked by the events on Friday morning, January 8th. Federal agents reported on Rep. Warner’s home and business in Marshall County came down with search warrants, the contents of which were shrouded in secrecy by the government. It is important that Rep. Warner was not charged with any offense.
“Rep. Warner can assure the citizens of his district that he has not broken any laws and welcomes any investigation.
“Rep. Warner’s goal now is to serve all the citizens of his district, whether they voted for him or not, and look forward to being sworn in on Tuesday, January 12.”