House Speaker Glen Casada says he will continue to defend a Republican lawmaker accused of sexual assault against multiple former students, recently questioning the credibility of the women who came forward and implying that victims of rape should move.

In a video published by The Tennessee Holler, a newly created liberal media website, former Democratic candidate for Congress Justin Kanew questioned Casada about his support of Rep. David Byrd, R-Waynesboro.

Three women last year accused Byrd of sexually assaulting them in the 1980s when they were teenagers playing on the Wayne County High School girls basketball team, which Byrd coached.

In a story last spring, WSMV included audio from a phone call recorded by one of the women as she talked to Byrd about what happened when she was 15. Byrd said he was sorry, though he does not say specifically for what he is apologizing.

The recent video of the conversation with Casada was taken at a town hall event last month in Franklin, Kanew said.

On the topic of the women's credibility, Kanew told Casada that the women had been ostracized in their community as a result of coming forward with allegations against Byrd.

"If it's important, and it is — it’d be important to me if I was raped, I would move," Casada said. "And hell would have no fury."

Kanew replied that he believed Casada couldn't answer what he would do if he were "raped as a woman in rural Tennessee."

"Or as a man, I could," Casada said. "There are just certain codes of conduct."

Casada defends decision to appoint Byrd to chair education subcommittee

In response to a request for comment about his remarks in the video, Casada released a statement echoing what he has said before about his support of Byrd, who was reelected by more than 55 points in November.

"One of the most sacred rights we have as Americans is the concept of being innocent until proven guilty," Casada said. "Rep. Byrd is doing a fantastic job as Chairman of our Education Administration Subcommittee and I am proud he has agreed to serve."

Casada has appointed Byrd to chair the House's newly created education administration subcommittee.

Byrd, who graduated from Wayne County High School in 1975, coached there for 24 years and was the school’s principal for eight years.

Both former House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, called for Byrd's resignation last spring.

When asked about the video on Tuesday, Gov. Bill Lee would not comment directly on Casada's remarks or on whether he believed Byrd should step down but called for the situation to be taken seriously.

"I think we have to take very seriously allegations of sexual misconduct, and sexual misconduct should never be tolerated either in state government or the private sector, as well," Lee said.

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Kanew, who said he had been in contact with Enough is Enough Tennessee, a political action committee seeking Byrd's ouster, told Casada he and others are opposed to Byrd being in a position of leadership.

"We're not asking for a conviction," Kanew said. "You have the authority not to empower men like that and make it OK. Because what happens is the next guy sees that nothing happened, and he's going to do it."

A video published last fall by a PAC run by Casada likened Byrd to President Donald Trump and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, saying the men had been attacked by "unhinged liberals."

In the encounter last month, Kanew asked Casada if he believed the women who came forward.

"I don't think they're lying," Casada said. "I think they're believing something that’s not true."

Kanew said he had planned to ask Casada publicly during the town hall, which included others from the Williamson County legislative delegation, but was not called on.

He said he had not attempted to schedule a meeting with Casada over his concerns because he didn't want to get "canned answers" about the issue.

"This is our state's biggest shame right now, is the fact that this man is still in the legislature in a position of power," Kanew said. "It shouldn’t be a partisan issue."

The Tennessee Holler website does not disclose who is running the the site or list any staff members.

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Reach Natalie Allison at nallison@tennessean.com. Follow her on Twitter at @natalie_allison.

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