MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Embattled Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada announced Tuesday he will resign from his position as speaker effective Aug. 2.
After that, he requested that Gov. Bill Lee call a special session to appoint a new House speaker.
Casada, a Republican who represents the Franklin area, had promised on May 21 that he would resign in the future but did not announce a day. His GOP caucus issued a no-confidence vote in him as speaker last month, and Lee had questioned whether Casada should resign.
Casada has been dogged by calls to resign since it was revealed he exchanged text messages containing sexually explicit language about women with his former Chief of Staff Cade Cothren several years ago.
The scandal also includes reports of possible evidence tampering with a young black activist’s criminal case, Cothren admitting to using cocaine in his legislative office years before becoming Casada’s top aide and accusations of Casada spying on legislative members, among other matters.
Cothren ultimately resigned soon after the release of years-old racist texts and the sexually explicit messages.