In Tennessee, Republican leaders are pressuring House Speaker Glen Casada to leave before his announced resignation date of August 2. As Speaker, Casada is required under state law to name members to 20 new or existing boards, commissions and councils. One of them is the new 9-member Lottery Corporation Sports Wagering Advisory Council, which was created as part of the sports wagering bill passed this spring. Casada, Senate Speaker Randy McNally and Governor Bill Lee each can name three members to the panel.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that Casada exchanged sexually explicit texts with a top aide, Cade Cothren, who resigned, as well as racist texts with an unidentified political consultant. The House Republican Caucus declared in a 45-24 vote they no longer had confidence in Casada to head the House. After the vote, Casada said he hoped to work to regain members’ trust, but Lee said he was prepared to call a special session to remove him. House Democratic Caucus Chairman Mike Stewart said, “There’s simply no reason that Speaker Casada has not resigned. He’s put himself in a position to improperly meddle with these boards. He needs to resign and let the speaker pro tem take charge of his duties.”
Stewart added, “I haven’t heard Speaker Casada articulate a single justification for his holding office for another day. He said he’s going to resign. He needs to just make a clean break and resign so that the state can move forward.”
Casada’s new Chief of Staff Scott Gilmer said he doesn’t believe the speaker has made any appointments yet to the sports betting board. “Obviously between now and July 1 would be ideal on both boards, but I know the members of the gaming commission need to undergo a background check and that would take some work there. And that’s not been done yet. It wouldn’t be unusual for these to be made sometime in July,” Gilmer said.
Some of the positions on the other boards and commissions include members whose terms already expired, but several may continue to serve until they are reappointed or replaced, Gilmer said. “My guess is I don’t think the speaker will fill most of these. Probably most of these we’ll leave to the next person. But if there’s some more pressing ones like the Board of Judicial Conduct and the gaming commission, I think he could appoint those. But we haven’t yet.”
Gilmer added, “I think if he makes additional appointments, he would do it in consultation with members of leadership, something like that. Because obviously these appointments would be under scrutiny. I think it would be fair to say he would do these in consultation with members of leadership.”
House Majority Leader William Lamberth said, “The business of government needs to proceed regardless of whether or not we’re in the midst of transition from one speaker to another.” He noted several appointees serve at the pleasure of a speaker. A new speaker “can certainly evaluate each of these boards and commissions and make changes as they felt it appropriate,” Lamberth said.
