State Sen. Jerry Cooper, tried and acquitted on federal fraud charges, convicted of drunk driving (in a spectacular accident that he was fortunate to survive), and fined a staggering $12,000 by the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance — an agency formed by a bill that he himself sponsored — has announced that he will retire prior to the next election.

Surprise, surprise.

It seems that the last few years have seen substantial housecleaning in Nashville, but I suspect there’s more to come.