Text messages show how deeply involved a Mississippi governor was in directing more than $1 million in welfare money to Brett Favre
Text messages released as part of a civil lawsuit related to misspent welfare funds in Mississippi allegedly show former Gov. Phil Bryant worked to help NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre obtain funds to build a volleyball facility at the University of Southern Mississippi.
"If you were to pay me is there anyway the media can find out where it came from and how much?" Favre wrote in an August 2017 message.The next day, New texted Favre with an update: "Wow, just got off the phone with Phil Bryant! He is on board with us! We will get this done!" The lawsuit stems from an investigation into how the state spent tens of millions of dollars in federal money that was intended to go to those most in need -- the largest public fraud scheme in the state's history, according to the state's auditor.
"Cases should be tried in courts of law where rules of evidence govern and privileges are respected. They should not be tried in the press, where innuendo and speculation sometimes get confused with actual facts. It appears that New's attorney prefers to try his client's case in the latter as opposed to the former."
Of the $98 million, $94 million was "questioned," meaning it was either definitively misspent or auditors were unable to determine if it was legally spent. Most of the money, given over three years, from 2016 to 2019, came from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, state auditor Shad White said.
A follow-up audit conducted by an accounting firm in Maryland found that more than $77 million was improperly used from the state's welfare program through the non-profits.
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