Ex-girlfriend testifies Cothren had her register PAC that attacked Casada foe Tillis
In remarkable sworn testimony to the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance on Thursday, the treasurer of a mysterious political action committee testified she had registered the outfit at the behest of her then-boyfriend, Cade Cothren, and had nothing further to do with it thereafter.
“I asked him if it was illegal to open it for him,” said Sydney Friedopfer, a former Vanderbilt student who now lives in Utah. “And he said no. And he said he just couldn’t have a name on it, considering everything he had gone through.”
The Family Faith Freedom Fund PAC was involved in attacking then-Rep. Rick Tillis (R-Lewisburg), a foe of Cothren and his former boss, House Speaker Glen Casada, in the 2020 primary won by now-Rep. Todd Warner. (Just as a reminder, Cothren, Casada, Warner, and Rep. Robin Smith had their homes and offices searched by the FBI around this time last year).
Here is a transcript of Friedopfer’s testimony to the Registry on Thursday. The other speakers are Registry chair Paige Burcham Dennis, general counsel Lauren Topping, executive director Bill Young, and members Tom Lawless, David Golden, and Hank Fincher.
Paige Burcham Dennis: Miss Sydney, are you on the phone today?
Sydney Friedopfer: Yes, I am.
Paige Burcham Dennis: OK, before we get to you. I want to remind you, we’re going to have Lauren, give us a little bit of background on the Faith Family Freedom Fund case. But I do want to remind you that you are under oath today even though you’re participating by phone.
Sydney Friedopfer: OK, yep, no problem.
Paige Burcham Dennis: OK. Lauren, can you give the Registry a little bit of background on what’s going on with the Faith Family Freedom Fund case?
Lauren Topping: So as you’ll recall, this case came about as a result of a complaint that was filed with the Registry. As a result of that, there was an audit that was ordered. Up until this point in time, we had been unable to reach Ms. Friedopfer. And so the audit report basically says that we were unable to obtain any information. I think that’s all in your packet. But since then, we have been able to contact her and so she is here on the line today to tell you what she knows. So that’s kind of where we are.
Paige Burcham Dennis: OK, so at this time, Sydney, I understand you’re in Utah. Is that correct?
Sydney Friedopfer: Yes, that’s correct.
Paige Burcham Dennis: OK. I’m Chairman Burcham Dennis, and we’re going to let you tell us what you would like to tell us concerning the case.
Sydney Friedopfer: OK. So I guess I don’t have the exact date, sometime in end of 2019, early 2020. I had a friend of mine that I met when I was back at Vanderbilt ask me to open a political action committee for him. I was advised that I should tell you the name. The name is Cade Cothren. And I trusted him.
Paige Burcham Dennis: Could you repeat that? His name was what?
Sydney Friedopfer: Cade Cothren.
Paige Burcham Dennis: OK.
Sydney Friedopfer: Being a 22, 23-year-old at the time, I, unfortunately, did not have any information about politics. I asked him if it was illegal to open it for him. And he said no. And he said he just couldn’t have a name on it, considering everything he had gone through, which I’m sure everyone’s aware. But yeah, he resigned from his position as chief of staff to Glen Casada. And he didn’t want his name on the political action committees. Like being young and dumb, honestly, regarding this, I –
Paige Burcham Dennis: So Sydney, you had an involvement, a relationship or friendship, with him. And he asked you to do this on his behalf. That’s what you’re saying?
Sydney Friedopfer: Yes. I mean, yeah. At the time, I thought I loved him, I guess. But I was young and he’s 10 years older than me. And I trusted him. And so I opened the political action committee for him. And I filed the papers, signed my name, and that was the last I heard of it. I received the e-filing thing in the mail. And I just sent him a picture of that. And he took over from there. And I didn’t hear about it again until a reporter started calling me. But the first time I had anyone call me from a reputable source that I was going to talk to was when Lauren called me a few weeks ago.
Continue readingWho do you love? Top PAC donors of this election cycle
The doors of the state Capitol were closed to the public on March 16, 2020. (Erik Schelzig, Tennessee Journal)
Political Action Committee giving to legislative candidates may be down in 2020 compared with the previous election cycle, but that doesn’t mean big money isn’t finding its way into the the campaign coffers and leadership committees of Tennessee lawmakers.
Through campaign finance disclosures running through the start of early voting on July 17, here are the top PAC and business recipients among state lawmakers, candidates, and leadership committees.
- MCPAC (Randy McNally): $510,380
- CAM PAC (Cameron Sexton): $385,287
- HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS: $334,500
- SENATE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS: $326,250
- TENNESSEE LEGISLATIVE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE: $259,292
- SEXTON, CAMERON: $230,076
- ROSE, PAUL: $181,184
- JOHNSON, JACK: $147,950
- LAMBERTH PAC $138,000
- KEYPAC (Ken Yager): $120,600
- REEVES, SHANE: $117,350
- LAMBERTH, WILLIAM: $115,750
- POWERS, BILL: $111,595
- TILLIS, RICK: $99,577
- FAISON, JEREMY: $97,750
- GARDENHIRE, TODD: $93,617
- SMITH, ROBIN: $90,550
- HAILE, FERRELL: $88,600
- LYNN, SUSAN: $86,550
- GANT, RON: $85,550
- DICKERSON, STEVEN: $82,150
- BELL, MIKE: $78,580
- HICKS, GARY: $77,408
- YAGER, KEN: $77,065
- BAILEY, PAUL: $76,100
The PACs and businesses that have given most generously are:
- TENNESSEE REALTORS PAC: $446,700
- WINE AND SPIRITS WHOLESALERS OF TENNESSEE PAC: $324,100
- TENNESSEE BANKERS ASSN PAC: $189,250
- TENNESSEE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION: $164,710
- AMAZON.COM SERVICES LLC: $163,000
- TENNESSEE HIGHWAY CONTRACTORS PAC: $161,500
- JACK DANIEL’S PAC: $154,000
- FLEX PAC: $149,500
- INDEPENDENT MEDICINE’S PAC-TN: $146,250
- TN ADVANCE FINANCIAL PAC: $146,100
- BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF TN PAC: $134,600
- FEDEX CORPORATION PAC: $133,100
- CAM PAC: $129,817
- FRIENDS OF THA: $121,250
- AT&T TENNESSEE PAC: $117,650
- CORECIVIC INC. PAC: $115,750
- TENNESSEE HEALTH CARE ASSN PAC: $112,750
- TENNESSEE REYNOLDS AMERICAN INC. PAC: $105,750
- TENNESSEE EMPLOYEES ACTION MOVEMENT: $102,400
- HCA TRISTAR FUND: $101,900
