A former state lawmaker whose testimony under a plea deal about a taxpayer-funded mail business scheme helped prosecutors land the conviction of a former Tennessee House speaker has been sentenced to eight months in prison.
Former state Rep. Robin Smith, a Republican who had pleaded guilty to one count of honest services wire fraud more than 3 1/2 years ago, said during her sentencing hearing that she had “failed the trust of the public,” the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported.
“My mom and dad raised me to be much better than this,” Smith, 62, said Friday in Nashville federal court before U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson. “I ask for the forgiveness of the public.”
Smith must report to prison by Jan. 5.
As part of her March 2022 plea, Smith agreed to the “full, complete and truthful” cooperation with the federal government, the newspaper said. She testified earlier this year at the public corruption trial of former Speaker Rep. Glen Casada and his onetime chief of staff, Cade Cothren.
A jury in May found Casada guilty of 17 of 19 charges while Cothren was found guilty of all 19 counts against him. In September, Richardson acquitted Casada and Cothren of three of those counts each but let stand 14 for Casada and 16 for Cothren.
Hellbound and Down 